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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22754968">Symphogear Trill</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeikerHikaru/pseuds/SeikerHikaru'>SeikerHikaru</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Senki Zesshou Symphogear</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, What-If</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 11:01:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>77,555</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22754968</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeikerHikaru/pseuds/SeikerHikaru</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Stories sometimes do not always start the same way, nor do they always tell everything there is to be within it. Some stories become completely different over time as details are lost to the ages, or sometimes, two similar tales can be made." A story of divergence and parallels. A possibility brought about by songs that blend together as one and resonate to grow stronger. A world line of another possibility, of Valkyries and Knights who fight side by side in unison to the beats of their songs. One where perchance, a mere difference can result in all of the change as time goes on. This is not merely a tale of few warriors, but of partners on the battlefield of song.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. And So Voices Ring</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So because I got some advice about this I’m putting a note right here up front to make it easier to see. This fic, in blunt terms, ain’t following the canonical rules to the letter or what’s at least assumed to be canon since some stuff isn’t exactly clear. And in that regard, it also involves female AND male Adaptors. Why? Cause I wanted to and have a gimmick in mind. If you’re looking for something mono-gendered, then apologies. The chapters also aren’t self-contained, so take ideas as being sequences rather than contained happenings unless it’s obviously not. For the ones who stick around because you don’t mind that, I hope you enjoy reading!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The day was bright and full of excitement in the city. A massive crowd was gathered at the massive arena locale, it’s white structure stretching up like a swirling mass with the full structure nestled in the “arms” of the building. As the crowd moved along in finding their time to enter, many of them were looking across the holographic signs detailing what this busy day was even all about to begin with.</p>
<p>Among the crowd, a teenager who was holding a spot for some friends who were taking a bit longer was passing the time with music of his own, scrolling over an article on his phone that random browsing had led him to. The page had caught his eye for whatever reason, and he figured that reading it would have some merits while he waited for his friends to show.</p>
<p>As for what he was even reading…</p>
<p>
  <em>Stories sometimes do not always start the same way, nor do they always tell everything there is to be within it. Some stories become completely different over time as details are lost to the ages, or sometimes, two similar tales can be made completely different by only a minority of differences.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>One such story is a simple one. A story of a tower, the one who climbed it, and the one who gave that tower it’s power. A tower built to reach the Heavens as a challenge to God. A story many would know, but, this is one of the latter stories… one that becomes different once new details come to light.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Add more to this story, and you get a different tale. The builder of this tower had with them a follower, someone to give the tower the ability to reach Heaven itself. Though this individual was not a follower by complete choice, it was by their voice that this tower would call to Heaven itself. Remains say this person may have been called…</em>
</p>
<p>“Oiii! Kenzaki!”</p>
<p>“See? Told you he’d save the spots! Ritsudo!”</p>
<p>Ritsudo turned as he heard his name being called, pocketing his phone and lowering his blue headphones. His white hair shifted in response, parts of it falling back in front of the left of his sky blue eyes. His pale features were slender, telling he was at the least in his mid-teen years. And visible around the boy’s neck was a peculiar, sword shaped pendant. He smiled as two more boys his age approached, managing to worm their way through the crowd and catch up to him, apologizing all the while.</p>
<p>“Tsukasa, Sho! About time you made it. I was thinking I’d have to be here myself… despite Sho being the one who suggested the idea.” Ritsudo looked to one of the other boys as his tone became teasing, a smarmy grin on as the boy on the chopping block coughed.</p>
<p>“Well Tsukasa and I got caught up finding some things on the way.” Sho stated, Ritsudo rolling his eyes. “It’s true!”</p>
<p>“I’m not doubting you, I’m just saying. There <em>is </em>a stand for things inside the hall after all.” Ritsudo pointed one of his slender fingers off, right up at the massive venue hall they were waiting in line for.</p>
<p>“You know how picky Kasuga is.” Tsukasa said, folding his arms. “Always has to make it perfect!”</p>
<p>“Come ooonnn! It’s not often Zwei Wing puts on a performance this big! You gotta come fully prepared for this kind of stuff! Plus, it’s the show before their big nationwide tour! Like hell I was gonna miss this!”</p>
<p>“Sho you’re way too into all of this idol stuff.” Ritsudo replied, his friend acting out faux agony at the remark. Ritsudo’s eyes though, turned to the electronic banners displaying the group, bringing his hand up to the pendant as he then shifted to look closely at the stadium.</p>
<p>Under most circumstances, Ritsudo was normally a lot more reluctant to head out to things like this. He often thought it better for him to just get things at school done with and head home. He wasn’t even in any clubs to speak of. But, when Sho, a boy who was quite the persistent sort, had nettled him about going to this big concert, a part of him at the same time felt like he couldn’t simply say no to that.</p>
<p>“This… may actually be a lot of fun.” But he did at least feel optimistic about it. It wasn’t like he <em>didn’t </em>like things that were fun… it was just that at times, other things tended to make him think staying at home was his better option.</p>
<hr/>
<p>And within the building, amid the clamor of all the concert preparation and suit talk, laying on top of one of the many empty crates, least it was for now, was a teenager with headphones topping his head. The red item was stark against his dark blue hair, which framed his pale face and emerald eyes. The teen hummed along to the music playing through the headphones, his eyes scanning through the words of his book, completely engrossed in his reading and in no way noticing the individual creeping up on him from the side.</p>
<p>“Heeeyyy KYOMEI!”</p>
<p>“WAAAGH!” The blue haired teen yelped when he was grabbed from behind, fumbling to keep a proper hold on his book, his headphones nearly flying off as he was lifted up while the one who’d grabbed him laughed. “Koto put me down!!!”</p>
<p>“Ahh come on, how else was I gonna snap you out of it eh?”</p>
<p>Kyomei sighed as he was set down, adjusting his headphones and turning to look at his assaulter. An older looking teen sliding his hands into his white jacket, his bright blonde hair framing bright blue eyes and lightly tanned skin, his handsome features marked by a bright grin.</p>
<p>“Not like I need to do much else.” Kyomei sighed, the much taller Koto throwing an arm around his junior’s shoulder and leading him along while fiddling with the white, wireless earbuds he himself wore.</p>
<p>“Ah ah, that’s being <em>too </em>solitary. Not gonna tell Tsubasa good luck before the concert?” Koto asked, Kyomei looking to the side.</p>
<p>“Not like I need to.” Kyomei replied, getting a sigh from his senior, “What?”</p>
<p>“See, this little buddy, is the problem. Come on, I’m gonna go wish Kanade luck anyway, so you’re coming with me and encouraging Tsubasa yourself, alright?” Koto chuckled, Kyomei flipping through his book and marking his previous spot.</p>
<p>“I don’t see why it’s necessary. She’s always fine with Kanade helping her. They’re the two parts of Zwei Wing. Not like I’m involved in that part of things.” Kyomei’s response was dull, and Koto sighed again.</p>
<p>That was the struggle with the boy. In some ways he maintained a distance with the individual they were addressing. He separated himself from the one who outside of this idol business, was meant to be his partner in their <em>other </em>line of work… but he kept it just at that. Oddly enough despite the fact he and Tsubasa were people who had known each other since they were young.</p>
<p>“She’ll appreciate it, trust your ever reliable senior with these things, my socially awkward friend.” Koto chuckled, ruffling Kyomei’s hair.</p>
<p>“I’m not awkward… I just don’t get stuff like that.” Kyomei bluntly responded, Koto sighing and lightly tapping the younger teen on the back.</p>
<p>“You will someday, trust me on that.” Koto hummed, scanning around as they proceeded along the walkway, a hand shading his eyes for no discernable purpose other than the effect of it, “Now, where are they... aha! Oiii! Kanade, Tsubasa!”</p>
<p>“So loud.” Kyomei chuckled as Koto ran ahead to two girls both dressed in concealing white robes for the purpose of the concert, one who looked around Koto’s age with fluffy red hair that looked like feathers and eyes to match, the other girl still wearing her hood, but easily discernible with pale blue hair and darker colored eyes, looking to be around Kyomei’s age.</p>
<p>“Hey, Koto! You made it! I thought you’d be running around the concessions, you mischievous monkey.” Kanade chuckled, Koto again throwing an arm over Kyomei’s shoulders.</p>
<p>“What, and leave my adorable junior moping around in a corner somewhere? Nah, I was looking for the kid the entire time.” Koto chuckled, Kyomei rolling his eyes. But, his expression was of an amused smile as he brushed Koto’s arm aside from ruffling his hair again.</p>
<p>“I wasn’t moping. I was just reading the next Dazai Osamu book I got my hands on, <em>No Longer Human</em>.” Kyomei stated, flashing the mentioned book, opening it once more. Koto peered over to look, and Kyomei turned sharply on his heel to prevent the peeping, to the amusement of the girls as Koto clicked his tongue.</p>
<p>“Ah, I wanted a glimpse. You never let me read your books.” Koto sighed.</p>
<p>“Because the last time I did, you lost it and I had to buy a replacement.” Kyomei replied.</p>
<p>“I found it eventually!”</p>
<p>“<em>After </em>I’d bought the replacement.”</p>
<p>Koto hung his head in defeat as Kyomei sat down, turning his page as he did. Koto sighed, while Kanade chuckled. Both were amused but Koto couldn’t help but feel exasperated at his junior’s more antisocial tendencies at times like this.</p>
<p>“No getting him out of it, is there?” Kanade mused, placing her hands on her hips, Koto shaking his head.</p>
<p>“No, I guess there isn’t. Shame, cause I was hoping he’d tell Tsubasa good luck.” Koto murmured, keeping his voice down for the latter statement, Kanade letting out a hum.</p>
<p>“I see. Well, we can cover that <em>easy.” </em>Kanade replied, Koto snickering, “So, Genjurro talk to you two as well?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, before I went looking for the reading little scamp.” Koto mused, fiddling with his earbuds again, “Speaking <em>of, </em>good luck with the live… and I don’t mean that in the sense the boss said. I’m looking forward to the concert!”</p>
<p>“Of course you are. Ah, if only we could perform on stage together at some point ourselves. Though I guess me being in an idol duo wouldn’t allow that, huh?” Kanade winked to Tsubasa as she turned and walked off, Koto following as he shrugged. “Hey hey, maybe you should go ahead and become an idol yourself. Then we’d have an excuse for some collaboration. You’re a good singer yourself y’know?”</p>
<p>“Well if I wasn’t always so concerned with other things, I’d <em>maybe </em>consider it. But, I’ve got another job. That being keeping you in line.” Koto deadpanned, Kanade feigning hurt to her bit getting sandbagged. Tsubasa turned from watching them leave and to Kyomei as he continued with his reading, almost looking downright oblivious to the clamor around him.</p>
<p>“Good luck.” Kyomei spoke up, Tsubasa looking at him with a surprised gaze. The boy closed his book and turned with a small smile on. He could at least actually take Koto’s advice and try to do <em>something </em>small like this. “With the concert. Good luck. I hope you do your best.”</p>
<p>“I... I will. Thanks.” Tsubasa started to give a slight smile in return, Kyomei going back to his book. And unbeknownst to the two, their two seniors had been watching, and excited chuckling immediately turned into quiet sighs.</p>
<p>“Those two are gonna take ages to go anywhere.” Koto clicked his tongue, Kanade nodding and leaning on her knees.</p>
<p>“Yeup! Ah well, can’t force anything along <em>too </em>much. Some are just slow burners.” Kanade mused, spinning a finger, Koto chuckling.</p>
<p>“Yeah, and you burn as fast as a match.” Koto chuckled, earning a light punch on his shoulder for the comment.</p>
<p>“Pff, yeah right!” Kanade scoffed in reply, proudly pumping a fist as she stood up, “I’m a fire that’ll never go out!”</p>
<p>“Hahaha! Course not. Your passion hasn’t faded since the day we met. If anything, it’s only ever gotten brighter.” Koto mused, adjusting and jackknifing to his feet, “So, again, good luck with the concert, be sure to blow them away!”</p>
<p>“What, no token for luck as well? We’re not exactly under the scrutiny of a camera right now.” Kanade chuckled, her hands on her hips as she playfully leaned forward into Koto’s face, then looking downright disappointed when Koto simply pecked her on the forehead, “Heyyyy…”</p>
<p>“Later. You need to focus on your show anyway.” Koto chuckled, putting a finger over his lips, Kanade sighing.</p>
<p>“Ya’ darn tease. Alright then, watch as I blow the crowd away! I’ll be expecting a reward afterwards!” Kanade chuckled, putting a finger right in Koto’s face, the young man chuckling.</p>
<p>“Alright then. I’ll be watching to judge appropriately.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>“This is seriously all for a single duo? The place is completely packed!” Ritsudo kept glancing around at the crowd around him and his two friends in the arena, pulling back his bangs to see better as he did, the young teenager looking downright surprised at the clamor around them. Every inch of the stadium was packed full from the stands were they were to the floor below. Not a person wasn’t filling in the area all over it. “Sho, this is normal right?”</p>
<p>“Heck yeah it is! Now c’mon, get those glowsticks lit, it’ll be starting up soon!” The other boy, to Ritsudo’s clear surprise, was already giddy and fidgeting about. Ritsudo looked at Tsukasa, who shrugged as he cracked the glowstick in his own hands, Ritsudo following suit after glancing at his all too giddy pal once more.</p>
<p>“You alright in this kind of crowd, Kenzaki?” Tsukasa asked, Ritsudo nodding, even as he drew the hood of his jacket up a ways. That motion alone made it clear that while he <em>seemed </em>fine, being packed in like they were wasn’t really helping Ritsudo be all that relaxed.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Just a little squeezed in is all.” Ritsudo gave a small chuckle, his cool-headed friend nodding. Then the lights in the venue went dark, and Ritsudo glanced up from under the brim of his hood as spotlights turned on and the crowd roared…</p>
<hr/>
<p>And up in one of the private viewing booths, Koto and Kyomei were observing… well, rather Koto was observing and Kyomei was back to reading his book, which Koto promptly plucked away.</p>
<p>“Hey!” Kyomei yelped, Koto teasingly holding it away and leaning back, using his superior height against the younger boy.</p>
<p>“Upupup! Not until the show’s over! Take a breather and watch.” Koto chuckled, Kyomei sighing and sitting back down, turning his attention to things as the speakers crackled on while the spotlights flared around. “So, you remember the song they’re starting with, right?”</p>
<p>“Of course. I do have the list. First up is… Gyakkou no Flugel.” Kyomei looked to the screen projecting the live feed of the concert, and Koto couldn’t help but chuckle at the small shift in the boy’s look to a small smile as he watched Kanade and Tsubasa descend onto the outer stage as the music began, in time with the roars of the crowd getting loud enough they could faintly be heard even up all the way in the booth. Koto chuckled again as Kyomei began to hum along to the music, and the older teen had another idea as his mental countdown finished as the girls drew the microphones up, sucking in a breath himself.</p>
<p>
  <em>~"Can you hear it...?" The dramatic music playing. Let it sound out toward the sky!~</em>
</p>
<p>Kyomei glanced at Koto the second he started singing along with it, and a gesturing wave from Koto got the boy to shake his head, but open his own mouth anyway. Koto’s deep, smooth voice blending with the sound of Kanade’s lighter tone, while Kyomei’s own smooth way of singing mixed in with Tsubasa’s. A duet turned into a double up only they would know about.</p>
<p>
  <em>~Can you hear it...?" The pulsing heartbeat when a life starts. Thrust your love into the air. That day, in the distance, when the stars became music. The season when hair sways in the wind, let's you and I make our heartbeats into a song. With that, our dreams opened into a brand new world...~</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>Whereas down in the crowd, Ritsudo found himself looking around at the cheering people around him, yelping as Sho grabbed him by the arm and pulled it up.</p>
<p>“Come on man, cheer along with us!” Sho laughed, Ritsudo watching as Kanade and Tsubasa ran from the center of the area and to the main stage. And as their voices called at the end of the verse, the boys eyes went wide in awe as the roof of the arena proceeded to open up, letting the amber sunset shine into the arena.</p>
<p>Ritsudo felt himself starting to join in on the cheering of the crowd as well. The excitement in the air wasn’t just palpable, it was downright infectious. And darn if Ritsudo wasn’t feeling himself getting washed up in it as he joined Sho in giving a loud cheer.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <em>~Yes, just believe. Let's make history with a light the likes even God hasn't seen. A future flooded with light. Won't you fly there with us?~</em>
</p>
<p>And with Kyomei and Koto, the former was simply bobbing along as he sang while Koto had leapt up into dancing himself, to the visible amusement of his junior, Kyomei laughing as Koto jumped onto his chair as he swung his arms out, Kyomei clapping as his senior spun and threw an arm up.</p>
<p>
  <em>~Wings stained with tears of just feeling. When it feels like you can't flap those wings anymore, make a wish. I'll hold that hand and add my strength to yours. When we're together, our singing hearts become wings.~</em>
</p>
<p>“Haha, hell yeah!” Koto slapped a high five with Kyomei as the song finished, the blue haired boy laughing as Koto whooped and threw a fist in the air, then sighing with laughter in it, “Ah man, I’m gonna owe Kanade big time.”</p>
<p>“Owe her what?” Kyomei asked, Koto chuckling again.</p>
<p>“Ehh, couple things.” Koto said, getting a tilt of the head from Kyomei, the boy looking just a tad confused.</p>
<hr/>
<p>“See, what’d I tell ya’, this is crazy kinds of fun!” Sho laughed as he threw an arm around Ritsudo’s neck, the hood wearing boy chuckling as he pulled his friends arm off.</p>
<p>“Yeah, it is! I didn’t think a big show like this would be this fun!” Ritsudo laughed, though as the crowd roared in cheers and his friends chattered, something made him tune it out… a subtle vibration at his chest. The pendant around his neck was vibrating, the feeling running up the chain enough that Ritsudo was able to feel it along his neck. “Why is it vibrating like that?”</p>
<p>He may not have gotten a direct answer, but what happened certainly answered <em>something.</em></p>
<p>As the next song was just starting to begin, a rumbling came from under the arena, and suddenly a massive explosion blew from the center of the stage. Cheers of excitement quickly changed into screams of terror. And the explosion wasn’t it. Ritsudo felt the vibrations of the pendant grow stronger, it was something else that was causing it. Rising up from the hole in the floor as people ran from it. A creature, massive and with an almost see through body, and even more creatures flying in the air.</p>
<p>“Noise!?” Ritsudo shouted, everyone in the crowd already starting to run as the large Noise began spewing out fluid that turned into even <em>more. </em>And in a disturbing sight, the ones that were able to catch people froze solid, as them and their victim turned to ash in mere moments, but, not quick enough that people weren’t left screaming in terror before they crumbled. “What in… the hell?!”</p>
<p>Ritsudo felt a bit of a shudder shoot up him. Everyone knew what Noise were, they knew what the things did… but knowing something and seeing it right in front of your face was another thing. Of course it made him feel terrified. But of course, it also made him remember things he didn’t like. Things he’d lost… more accurately, actually, <em>people </em>he’d lost because of the things.</p>
<hr/>
<p>“The hell?!” Koto jumped as the blast rocked the booth, Kyomei’s eyes wide as he looked up. The ensuing chaos was almost immediate. The warnings going off inside of the building were likely not reaching the panicking crowd below either. It was nothing but total chaos from what they could see.</p>
<p>“The Noise…” Kyomei muttered, Koto clicking his tongue, taking a few steps back as a creature that seemed to flicker about, more creatures of a different type filling the sky. Kyomei’s eyes were wide as he saw the people falling victim to them, his hand balling tightly. “Dammit, why now?!”</p>
<p>“Well, guess we can’t sit around and let the girls deal with this themselves, that’s a lot of Noise down there!” Koto said, pulling out a pendant from his pocket shaped like a staff. “Let’s go!”</p>
<p>“But, the commander hasn’t…” Kyomei said, sighing as Koto took a running start and leapt <em>through </em>the window. Koto’s gaze steeled as he fell with his gaze on the crowd trying to escape from the veritable army beginning to invade… though the unlucky ones who got caught were silenced in their terror as the Noise turned them to ash with nothing more than a touch. Koto grimaced as he fell, his pendant starting to glow.</p>
<p><em>“Cantato Ruyi Jingu Bang zillz!” </em>Koto’s voice rang as light then gathered around him, and with a burst followed by the ball around him crashing into the ground, the young man came out garbed in a fitted black, gold accented suit under white armor fitted to various points across his body. Headphone like pieces on his head that also formed a headband. Koto reached up near his head, a small item flew from a portion of the headset, forming  into a two meter long staff tipped in gold, which he promptly stuck into the ground, leaving a small crater in the floor. “Alright then partner… let’s go!”</p>
<p>Koto leaped into the air and smashed down onto the first Noise below him, his staff becoming a whirlwind as he shot through the swarm, shooting high into the air and rearing it back, smirking as he threw the weapon, which then expanded into a pillar as it crashed onto a crowd of Noise, Koto slamming down onto the top and causing cracks to shoot through the ground as more Noise were then blown away by a whirlwind from the other direction, Kanade coming to a stop, geared out in her own armor and wielding a rather large spear.</p>
<p>“Hey, don’t hog them all Koto!” Kanade chuckled, stepping back when a few Noise lunged, only for them to be shot away in a flurry of arrows, the girl chuckling, “Hey! Nice save Kyomei!”</p>
<p>A glint in the air came before Kyomei landed in front of the other two, also in his own armor, the white accented by red and yellow, a visor over his eyes as he pulled up a red and white, bladed short-bow, pulling arrows from one of two quivers at the back of his waist before leaping and firing another volley off. A flash of blue revealed Tsubasa herself had joined in, garbed in blue and black and wielding a katana, and amid the flurry of the four fighters facing the monsters across the arena, the battleground hadn’t exactly been abandoned from civilians.</p>
<p>“What the heck is going on?! That’s something out of a Toku series!” Sho had a hand slapped over his mouth by Tsukasa as the other teen pulled him back behind the rubble they and Ritsudo had hidden behind, Sho’s muffled calls sounding as he was held back.</p>
<p>“Shut up! Come on, we gotta stay quiet, if those Noise find us we’re dead!” Tsukasa snapped, Ritsudo looking around for <em>any </em>kind of safe opening. “Ritsudo, see a way out?”</p>
<p>“There’s too many, I can’t find a-LOOK OUT!” Ritsudo saw it as a Noise shot down at the fighters from above. It impacted with some of the arena’s structure, the rubble falling right above the boys. In a quick move, Ritsudo shoved his friends aside, the two yelling as it seemed like the rubble had come down right on top of the white-haired boy.</p>
<p>“RITSUDO!”</p>
<p>The other two boys were quick to run back. The coughing they heard barely alleviated their fears as the dust moved aside. Ritsudo was alive, but the rubble had him pinned to the floor, and he was bleeding from a gash over his left eye.</p>
<p>“Holy… Ritsudo, you okay?!” Sho shouted, Ritsudo coughing between slow nods. “Don’t kid around!”</p>
<p>“I-I’m fine… just… just got hit in the head is all. But… there’s too much over me for me to move, I’m stuck, I can’t… just, go! <em>Kagh! </em>It’ll just waste time if you try to get me out. I should be fine if I stay quiet.” Ritsudo said, Sho shaking his head as he pried his fingers under the main piece of rubble.</p>
<p>“Don’t talk like some self-sacrificing hero dammit! Like hell we’d leave you behind! Tsukasa, help me get him out!”</p>
<p>Ironically Sho wasn’t really correct on that. Ritsudo hadn’t suggested it out of some noble idea… he just didn’t think he was worth the risk they were taking. But, a part of him felt lifted up by Sho’s refusal to leave. It only reaffirmed it to Ritsudo the other boy really did consider him a friend.</p>
<p>“We’re gonna have to hurry! Whatever’s going on, there’s still tons of Noise!” Tsukasa joined Sho in trying to lift the large piece of rubble keeping Ritsudo pinned. As his friends struggled to lift it, Ritsudo’s vision, blurred as it was thanks to the blood in his eye, turned to where the combat was going on.</p>
<p>“There’s way too many of these things!” Koto clicked his tongue as he swung his staff through a few Noise, Kanade landing near him, and the glow around her armor suddenly fell away. “Out of time already? Damn, we should’ve Synchronized!”</p>
<p>“Too late for that. I can manage for a bit longer. Is there anybody still left here?” Kanade said, scanning around. She shot off when she <em>did </em>see somebody, but, not the boys struggling to free their friend, somebody else clear on the other side of the arena.</p>
<p>“Kanade! Don’t run-BACK OFF!” Koto yelled as he swiped at the Noise coming for him, jumping through the air and sweeping the extended staff around. When he landed, he looked around again, his eyes widening when he spotted Tsukasa and Sho <em>just </em>behind the rubble. “HEY! You guys over there, get out of there!”</p>
<p>But, Koto’s voice was drowned out as the Noise struck at him again, the young man spinning his staff to block them. Whereas back at the rubble pile, Sho and Tsukasa managed to force the rubble up, Tsukasa forcing his shoulder under.</p>
<p>“I’ve got it! Quick, Sho pull him out!” Tsukasa shouted, gritting his teeth from the weight. Ritsudo started to crawl as Sho grabbed him by the arm and started pulling. Tsukasa forced the rubble up as much as he could, then letting go as Sho pulled as hard as he could to get Ritsudo free before moving himself. The other two boys collapsed as the rubble fell, all panting while Ritsudo hacked more, flecks of blood coming from his mouth.</p>
<p>“Haa… haa… SHIT that sucked!” Tsukasa panted, Sho nodding.</p>
<p>“Yeah. Come on, let’s get out of here! With those people fighting these things, <em>however </em>they’re doing it, we should be able to get out.” Sho said, standing up.</p>
<p>“Yeah… <em>kah… </em>let’s.” Ritsudo muttered, managing to sit up, extending a hand to his friends as they reached to help him up… only for a sound from the side to herald something else. Something wrong. Within seconds <em>just </em>as their hands were about to brush, Noise shot over and struck Tsukasa and Sho. All Ritsudo’s hand grabbed onto was ash, the last image he saw their only brief expressions of surprise.</p>
<p>“Eh?” Ritsudo looked at his clenched hand, opening the fingers as he turned it. Black ash drifted off of his palm and into the air. The boy’s expression was blank. His fingers started to shake, and soon the feeling went all the way up his arm and across his entire body. As tears started to well at Ritsudo’s eyes as his breathing quickened, it was like the sound around him died out into dull noise… and the only sound that came from the boy as his expression finally broke was a scream, one of pain and horror wrapped into a single primal noise.</p>
<p>A noise that carried out across the arena to where those fighting, even amid it, stopped dead for the moments it lasted, not thinking about what they were doing as they looked off towards the source of it. The Noise however, clearly had different ideas when the sound came to their attention. Some diverted off and started lumbering towards Ritsudo as his voice went hoarse and then silent, the boy collapsing onto the ground, his eyes lidded and blurry.</p>
<p>Arrows came sailing through the air and shot through the Noise. Kyomei skid to a stop, firing another volley before turning to the collapsed Ritsudo, putting a hand to the collapsed boy.</p>
<p>“Hey! Come on, you have to get up and go! Hey!” Kyomei shook Ritsudo, but he wasn’t responding. His eyes just stared off at nothing. Kyomei grit his teeth, swiping his bow and jabbing it into a Noise that got close, ripping it through and turning to fire again. Tsubasa joined him as a Noise tried to get him from the side. “We need to get this guy out of here!”</p>
<p>“There’s too many Noise! And the large ones just keep spawning more.” Tsubasa said, Kyomei’s teeth gritting as his eyes looked off to Koto and Kanade, who themselves were near <em>another </em>person left, a girl who was looking at things with shock. “Koto, Kanade, do something to help us thin this crowd out!”</p>
<p>“Trying!” Koto shouted, stepping back and giving a growl. “We need to break through to the big guys if we wanna end this. Kanade, it might be risky, but we should Synchronize!”</p>
<p>“I hear ya! Hey, kid, you need to run!” Kanade turned to the girl on the ground behind them, and she gave a nod before pulling herself up, limping along because of an obvious leg injury. But that cued the Noise to attack in force again. Kanade and Koto both struck back, Kanade moving between the Noise and the girl, spinning her spear to deflect them, but strain was showing as her armor started to crack in places.</p>
<p>“Kanade slow down! Don’t push it further by yourself!” Koto shouted, producing a second staff from the other side of his headset and kicking both off at the Noise, the whirling staffs spinning back through the air, cutting through the swathe of Noise and back to his hands. And as if only to worsen the situation, both of the large Noise loosed streams at Kanade, the girl whirling her spear faster to block both… but as a result of it, her armor also burst apart, the shards flying back while Koto rushed over.</p>
<p>And he saw it from the back that some of the shards had hit more than rubble… the escaping girl was flying back, blood flying from her chest. Kanade’s eyes went wide. The girl slammed into some of the rubble behind her, Kanade rushing over and she tossed her spear down.</p>
<p>“Hey, don’t die!” Kanade shouted, rolling the girl over, her look not much better off than what the amount of blood would tell. “Come on, open your eyes! Don’t give up on living!”</p>
<p>“Kanade, the others will get her out of here once we’ve cleared this! But if we’re going to do that, we need to do something now.” Koto put a hand to Kanade’s shoulder as the girl grit her teeth, though Kanade’s expression relaxed when the girl managed to weakly raise her head and open her eyes. “Damn, you’ve gotta be tough.”</p>
<p>“You know… I wished for a day when I could sing my heart and soul out.” Kanade stood up and picked up her spear, Koto turning his head as she turned to the Noise. “And look, we’ve got a pretty big audience with us today.”</p>
<p>“Kanade, what’re you… no, no no NO! You are not going to use that!” Koto stopped Kanade in place, a pained look on his face. “You’re too wounded as it is! If you use that when you’re like this… come on, we should at least try! If we Synchronize at least it’ll take most of the burden off of you!”</p>
<p>“Sorry Koto, no can do.” Kanade said, her free hand gently grabbing Koto’s arm. “If we did, you’d just end up being hurt as well. Besides, look at me, I’m in no state to Synchronize.” She drew attention to how even her spear was having parts flake off of it, Koto shaking his head as he grimaced, Kanade putting her hand to his face, a thumb wiping away the tears forming at his eye. “Hey, come on big guy, don’t start crying on me. You’re supposed to be the tough one here yeah?”</p>
<p>“Come on, there has to be another way to go about this!” Koto said, the grip on his staff tight.</p>
<p>“I don’t see much else we can do here. I’m gonna shine again, so watch. I’m not gonna hold back… cause I’ve got a gift for these guys, the Swan Song.” Kanade smiled at Koto before she turned and raised her spear up, more parts of it flaking off as she gripped it. “But don’t worry about me alright? You know me Koto, I won’t be put out that easily.”</p>
<p>“Kanade, don’t!” Koto shouted, stopping dead when he saw the light from the sunset glint off something. Tears of Kanade’s own. “Please, stop!”</p>
<p>
  <em>~Gatrandis babel ziggurat edenal. Emustolronzen fine el baral zizzl. Gatrandis babel ziggurat edenal. Emustolronzen fine el zizzl.~</em>
</p>
<p>Kanade’s voice rang out across the arena in the words of the mysterious song. A dull violet glow began to surround her body and tint the air. Where he was laying, even with the blurred vision, Ritsudo shifted a bit.</p>
<p>“Who’s singing?” The boy’s voice was weak, and he saw the two in front of him start to move. A wave of light came from Kanade, blowing Koto, Tsubasa, and Kyomei back as they tried to get close and stop her. At the same time, all of the Noise in the arena were blown away by the blast. More of the arena broke around them, though Ritsudo’s dulled senses didn’t hear any of it. He saw Kanade collapse, his vision going dark for a moment, then the other three at the fallen girl, Koto holding her in his arms. They were saying something, but their voices sounded like dull buzzes.</p>
<p>As Ritsudo’s vision started to go dark again, he caught a brief glimpse of it… Kanade’s body fading away into the air in a drift of ash, and while dull, the agonized scream that came from Koto as his hands grasped at the fading girl pierced through into his mind as his consciousness slipped away into darkness…</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. A Lonely Blade</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So something I feel needs to be said here. Trill is written like a novel, not one shots. Things get explained as the story goes along, not all at once. If you want explanations for some things please don't expect them to get explained immediately.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>The clacking of the classroom door opening, somehow, came with this feeling to it. Something cold, as if the moment Ritsudo had entered the classroom, suddenly the entire air among the middle school class had changed completely. Those who bothered to spare a glance towards him did so coldly, and starkly, the two empty desks with flowers set on them felt like a hard, cold reminder. Ritsudo’s own desk though, was strewn with papers that on closer inspection, showed the news of the attack and the results.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He hadn’t been in the hospital for more than a few days. Of course, news had spread around… but this cold response from his classmates felt… confusing. Confusing, but also annoyingly, harshly familiar to the fourteen-year-old. He pulled his jacket’s hood up to try and hide his face as he sat down, not sparing a glance to the newspapers as he bundled them up and shoved them into the desk.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“He seriously bothered coming back to school?”</em>
</p><p><em>“Didn’t you hear, apparently people who survive Noise attacks get compensation from the government. I’m betting Kenzaki’s getting it </em>real <em>easy now.”</em></p><p>
  <em>“For real?! What the hell?! What about the people who lost family members there?!”</em>
</p><p><em>“Then there’s Kasuga and Harutora. They went there with him… why did </em>he <em>have to be the one to come back? All he does is sit there and be quiet. He doesn’t talk to anyone, it’s weird!”</em></p><p>
  <em>“Why were they even friends with Kenzaki?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ritsudo’s hands started shaking under the desk, and all he felt he could do was pull his headphones up from under his hood… just shut it all out, ignore it… just forget it’s there, let it go away… didn’t they get it? He was hurting too. Why were they acting like he wasn’t a victim as much as anybody who’d died? Why was it wrong for him to be alive?</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Two years later…</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>A sharp gasp split the air as Ritsudo suddenly shot awake, his breathing shallow and quick. He could feel the hot feeling of tears on his cheeks, and he quickly rubbed them away. Two years later, and the sixteen-year-old boy looked like a ghost of a person. His hair had grown without any care given to it, long enough to reach his waist, and with only the bangs, now situated to hide his left eye, messily cut to avoid annoyance, but clearly done with no care for any sort of style. The uniform he was wearing was equally messy, wrinkled and worn loose like it was only ever thrown on and tossed to the floor when not used. And his eyes… there wasn’t a light to be seen in them at all, they only looked forward like cold chips of ice.</p><p>He didn’t bother pulling his headphones down, leaving them to press down on his ears and drown out any noise. Ritsudo shuffled out from beneath the large solar panel he’d been sleeping under. A check at his phone showed it was reaching the later part of the afternoon. Not that he cared.</p><p>And while at the time, the sky would have been starting to take on a hue between blue and amber, that wasn’t what it looked like to the boy. It just looked grey. The sky, the grass and trees of the ground below. The opulent buildings that made up the elaborate school, Lydian Academy, sparked nothing in him. The view from the school and to the city below didn’t strike him as any kind of stunning. It was just the city, the same as ever, unchanging and unmoving. What striking beauty could there be in that?</p><p>A breath left Ritsudo’s throat as he leaned against the railing of the roof, feeling the wind pass by his cheek. The breeze caused his hair to drift up a bit, temporarily showing the scar above his left eye, which he quickly pulled his hair back down to hide. It was an impulse, a reaction done without thought. Like how he used his headphones to drown out the world, he hid from it behind the self-made curtain before him.</p><p><em>“Why did I remember </em>that <em>of all things?” </em>Ritsudo sighed as the thought crossed him. He didn’t like remembering back then. It never felt good, he just wanted to forget all about it. So why did he remember it <em>now </em>when he was sleeping? <em>“Sleep is supposed to be when I can ignore everything… not think about those kinds of things.”</em></p><p>Ritsudo reached under his shirt when he felt a vibration against his chest, clicking his tongue as he pulled out the sword pendant. He felt it humming in his palm, and a feeling in his head came with it. A feeling with a kind of meaning behind it, like it was speaking to him. He knew what it was getting across… and he didn’t like it.</p><p>“My ass it’s that. Don’t make assumptions, damn shiv.” Ritsudo’s deadpan remark earned another vibration, and he just clicked his tongue again when the response was, predictably, not all that pleased. “Whatever. Just shut up and butt out of my head.”</p><p>He shoved the pendant back down under his shirt and went back to staring at nothing, his eyes drifting up to the sky. Some birds passed by, and it almost looked like the boy’s eyes glinted with envy for a moment. How lucky could birds be, to just fly where they wanted to without a care? They didn’t have to stay anywhere, listen to anyone, or do anything. Perhaps they were worthy of envy. Birds were far freer than any human could hope to be.</p><p>“Heh… not like humans can just grow wings and fly.”</p><p>“True but, we do have other ways. Maybe you could say we’ve beaten birds, because even if we can’t fly on our own, we still found a way to do it.”</p><p>Ritsudo sighed about the fact he actually got a reply. His gaze turned to the source of the voice, dull to his ears thanks to the headphones, but enough he could hear them anyway. It was another boy his age, with chin length strawberry blonde hair that fell around his gentle face, and large, pine green eyes that to anyone else, would have come with a calm, friendly look to them. His uniform was neat and worn properly… all in all, the boy was a completely stark contrast to Ritsudo in every way one could put together from their appearances.</p><p>“What are you doing here Kagami?” Ritsudo turned his glance away again, leaning on a hand as he shut his eyes. “Not like there’s anything worth finding up here.”</p><p>“Well the teacher said someone should go find you since you skipped class… again. All day. On the first day of classes.” The reply didn’t elicit more than a breath from Ritsudo. “And please, just call me Wataru. I don’t really feel like being called by my last name.”</p><p>“Don’t care.”</p><p>Wataru winced at the coldness of that reply. The world from the brighter boy’s eyes was, just like himself, in stark contrast to Ritsudo’s. Bathed in color, the still bright light of the mid-afternoon to him, helped draw out the colors around them, greens, blues, ambers and whites were made more vibrant, the light bouncing off the glass of the buildings letting colors fly through the air. The vibrant blue of the sky marked only by the white clouds and the passing birds with the faintest hint of twilight’s amber starting to edge from the horizon… and yet Wataru felt like he could see the lack of color around Ritsudo. The air around the other boy was obvious. Cold, unwelcoming… anyone else probably wouldn’t bother to approach him at all with an outward air like that.</p><p>“Look, Ritsudo-san, I know you don’t well… <em>like </em>being in class, but you can’t keep this up. Teacher always mentions your grades and how bad they are. You don’t want to have to repeat the year do you?”</p><p>“Who cares whether I do or not?” Ritsudo replied, inciting another wince from Wataru. There just wasn’t any care in Ritsudo’s voice at all. “It doesn’t matter at all. It’s just numbers on a damn paper. Worry about yourself.”</p><p>“Nope.”</p><p>“…”</p><p>“Someone has too… and I’m pretty sure plenty of people worry about you.”</p><p>“…”</p><p>The lack of response to that made Wataru tilt his head. Ritsudo’s eyes were open again, though again just staring off into space.</p><p><em>“People really aren’t kidding when they say his eyes look like they’re dead.” </em>Wataru gave a hum as he had the thought. He thought Ritsudo had a nice eye color, not a lot of people <em>had </em>such vibrant blue eyes… yet the color was wasted by the lack of light in them. <em>“Just what did Ritsudo-san go through to leave him like this? There has to be some reason… he always looks so hurt.”</em></p><p>“Haagh… just leave me alone. Being around me won’t do you any good.” Ritsudo stepped away from the railing and sauntered off to the door that led back down from this part of the roof… which he probably shouldn’t have had access too but did. Ritsudo stopped for a moment as he opened the door, just sighing and passing by, Wataru seeing that Kyomei had been at the door. The senior student watched Ritsudo go, turning to Wataru and stepping out.</p><p>“Uh, hehe, sorry about him. As his senpai at our workplace I should really be keeping a better eye on him so you don’t have to do things like this. You’re one of Kenzaki’s classmates, right?” Kyomei said, Wataru quickly nodding as his face shifted to surprise.</p><p>“Yes. Uh… I’m Kagami Wataru, from class 2-C! You’re Aikawa Kyomei right? You’re the guy who everybody says is childhood friends with Kazanari Tsubasa.” Wataru’s statement got a light chuckle from Kyomei, the blue-haired boy putting a hand behind his head.</p><p>“Yeah, that’s me. And as true as that remark is, Tsubasa and I have a… well… nah, it’s nothing to talk about here.” Kyomei said. “I wouldn’t listen to any of the rumors anybody cooks up, at the least. They’re not really worth believing.”</p><p>“Ah, no, I wouldn’t believe any rumors! I like to know more about people before making a judgment of some kind anyway! I mean… it’s just you hear things and the usual assumptions come about you know?” Wataru said, sheepishly pressing his fingers together, Kyomei tilting his head while giving a confused raise of his brow. “It’s nothing! But… now I’m curious. Kyomei-senpai, how long have you known Ritsudo-san? I’ve been in the same class as him since last year but, well… he doesn’t put a lot about him forward.”</p><p>“Trust me, I know.” Kyomei said. “I’ve kinda known him since a couple of years back. Our uh, our boss is his legal guardian. I’m not the person to talk about why that is or, even how that happened but, well, since then Ritsudo’s been a uh… coworker, I suppose is the best word, of where I work after school. Like you said he doesn’t put a lot out about himself, he’s pretty closed off and cold.”</p><p>“So as much as me huh?” Wataru sighed at that.</p><p>“Sorry.”</p><p>“No, it’s fine. I’ve just, kind of been trying to get through to him for a while now. I’ve never had this hard of a time trying to befriend somebody… it almost feels like a personal challenge by this point.” Wataru commented, Kyomei giving a laugh.</p><p>“You’re the kind of person who tries to make friends with everybody, aren’t you Kagami?”</p><p>“Yes I am! Ehehe, my nickname in middle school was “The Universal Friend Finder.” There wasn’t a person there I didn’t make friends with when I tried. Even kids who tried to pick on me.”</p><p>“Talk about all inclusive. We need more people like you around.” Kyomei said opening the door back up. “Well, I hope you have some luck trying to get through to Kenzaki.”</p><p>“I’ll get through somehow. Can’t let my record break now can I?” Wataru chuckled as he gave a thumbs up, Kyomei nodding as he smiled at the enthusiastic junior. The two teenagers descended the stairs back into the halls of the building. Kyomei waved Wataru off as the boy trotted off down another hall, where a few other students were clearly waiting for him. Kyomei smiled a bit as he saw the enthusiastic greetings they gave.</p><p>“Always nice to see kids being happy and friendly with each other. A much better comparison to what I usually see.” Kyomei yelped when, suddenly, he now found that Genjurro was standing next to him, the massive man chuckling at Kyomei’s surprise. “Sorry about that Kyomei, didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”</p><p>“You’re too sudden with how you appear, Genjurro-san.” Kyomei muttered, the man giving a hearty laugh.</p><p>“So, who was that kid?”</p><p>“Kagami Wataru, from class 2-C, same as Kenzaki. Apparently he’s been trying to make friends with him since last year… that’s gone about as well as expected with how Kenzaki behaves.” Kyomei’s sigh came with Genjurro patting him on the back. “I don’t know how I can handle both Kenzaki and Tsubasa… it’s the same with both of them and I don’t know how I do it.”</p><p>“Well hopefully if we can finally find someone who can pair with Ritsudo, it may just make things easier.” Genjurro said, Kyomei shrugging, the two starting on another path down the hall. “Hmm… thinking on it, that Kagami boy feels like he has potential in him. Perhaps we’ll be able to add another to the team.”</p><p>“If we even have one that’d be compatible with him, if at all.” Kyomei said, Genjurro then taking a turn to shrug himself. “Though I suppose if it works out, it works out. Anyway, how’s Tsubasa been? Her new album is coming out tomorrow, so I was… I was curious.”</p><p>“Tsubasa is doing fine, as usual.” Genjurro said, Kyomei nodding, the man patting him on the back again. “Don’t worry, you’ll get through to her eventually. You’re her oldest friend after all, Tsubasa trusts you more than anybody.”</p><p>“It doesn’t feel like that most of the time.” Kyomei sighed, pocketing his hands. “It just feels like every time I try, she pushes away… we haven’t even been able to Synchronize for two years now.”</p><p>“That is an issue. Thankfully now you two are strong enough to deal with the Noise perfectly fine as you are.” Genjurro said, Kyomei nodding, but his sigh told plenty of the more tumultuous feelings in his head. The two stopped, Genjurro putting a hand to his shoulder. “Give it time. You just have to keep pushing forward, and you’ll succeed eventually.”</p><p>“You’ve been saying that for two years.” Kyomei said, one of his hands tightening up. “But not like there’s much else I can do. Also, has anything come up about Koto at all? I know you didn’t give up on the search.”</p><p>“Still nothing.” Genjurro said, Kyomei’s hand going tighter as he clicked his tongue. “You know well Koto was effected the most by Kanade’s death. Some people take much more time than others to recover from that kind of loss, Kyomei.”</p><p>“I know that… but I just… I don’t know what to do without his advice.”</p><p>“All I can say is you’ll have to learn to find your own way through.” Genjurro said, Kyomei sighing again. “Don’t worry too much, you’ll reach an answer eventually. Have a good afternoon Kyomei, we’ll radio you if something happens.”</p><p>“Alright. I’ll go check on Kenzaki and see how he is. I guess Tsubasa’s busy right now?” Kyomei got a nod from Genjurro, the boy nodding himself in response. “Of course she is…”</p><hr/><p>The dorm section of Lydian Academy was divided in two ways, male dorms on the eastern wing and female dorms on the western wing of the building, which had an entire section of its own on the campus. While plenty of students at Lydian didn’t live in the dorms, there were plenty of students who stayed for their entire three-year tenures.</p><p>Though for a tiny handful of students which included Kyomei, it was for entirely different reasons. As the boy passed the different rooms, he took note that most of them had at least two names on them… but the room he was looking for didn’t. On the upper floors of the dorm’s eastern ring, one of the only rooms with a single name on the front was his destination. The room he stopped at had that single name on it: Ritsudo Kenzaki.</p><p>“Kenzaki, you here?” Kyomei knocked on the door to hope for some kind of response, though, not that he didn’t expect it, one didn’t come. “I’m letting myself in.”</p><p>The door was, also not surprisingly, unlocked. Granted the electronic locks on the doors would come undone in emergencies, but, not that this was the case after all. The immediate space of the dorm was like your typical Japanese one-room apartment, a small entryway combined into a kitchen… which was currently a mess. The sink was stacked full of dishes without a hint of even and attempt at cleaning them, the trash had take-out boxes and wrappers shoved into it to the point of overflow, and basically any other sign of just utter lack of care about actually taking care of things.</p><p>As a person of a clean minded sort, Kyomei immediately felt a grumble rise in his throat at the sight of this.</p><p>It didn’t help then, when he went into the large room following it, he then saw something aptly described as total chaos. Clothes were strewn all over the floor and carelessly tossed onto the open dresser, dust outright caked various surfaces, and the main, small living area was strewn about with a mess of wires and other things on the table from a laptop, various papers from undone school work just left to be crumpled messes on the table and floor, a handheld game console bleeping red, and unpacked boxes were carelessly shoved like a messy set of Tetris blocks into the lower bed of the bunk.</p><p>“He’s almost as bad as Tsubasa.” Kyomei’s words came out as a frustrated hiss as his teeth ground together at the sight of this mess combined with the mess that was the excuse of a kitchen. “Kenzaki?”</p><p>A shuffling from the upper bunk drew Kyomei’s eyes, the sheets shifting that told someone was peering out, and the single gleam of Ritsudo’s visible eye could be seen from the shadow of the sheet left to cover him up. Were Kyomei not used to that boorish gaze he’d probably feel a bit unnerved by that kind of sight being aimed at him.</p><p>“That’s where you are. You’ll be ready if a call comes in, right?” Kyomei asked, nothing but a hiss of air coming from the hidden boy. “Come on… you at least need to be ready for something happening.”</p><p>“You and Kazanari seem to do well enough on your own.” Ritsudo replied, actually bothering to poke his head out from the sheets, but still using them like a hood. “Don’t see why I need to bother helping you two all the time.”</p><p>“Because it’s what we do.” Kyomei said, Ritsudo clicking his tongue and laying down.</p><p>“If you’re just gonna lecture me about this damn job of ours, then buzz off Aikawa. I’ll show up when I want to, otherwise you and Kazanari can handle that kind of stuff.” Ritsudo lifted a hand and waved it to signal Kyomei could leave, but, the older boy wasn’t so easily deterred. Rather, he stood up on the edge of the lower bunk and stared right at Ritsudo, who rolled over and pulled up his headphones. Kyomei’s stare then turned into a glare.</p><p>“I’ll lecture you if I have to. What we do isn’t just something you can do whenever you want or on a whim. Actual lives are at stake if we don’t do anything.” Kyomei growled as he heard Ritsudo turn the music in his headphones up to the point it could be heard past their likely noise cancelling cups. In response, the senior grabbed the things and pulled them off, Ritsudo shooting up and trying to grab them, Kyomei pulling his hand back, in which Ritsudo then put his hands to his ears. It was like he didn’t want to hear a thing at all. “Kenzaki, we save lives, we <em>help </em>people. We’re doing the right thing. But you act like it’s not worth anything.”</p><p>“Is it?” Ritsudo replied, his tone dropping as his arms fell. His gaze was icy as he looked at Kyomei, who solidly returned it. “What have <em>any </em>of these people ever done to help me huh? Why <em>should </em>I want to help them? All people have ever done for me is tell me they don’t want me, that I shouldn’t be around. You know damn well why I ended up here, why the old man took me in… just leave me alone like everybody else seems to want to do.”</p><p>“Really? Kagami told me he’s been trying to be your friend since last year. And Genjurro has done nothing but try to help you ever since he took you in, and everybody else at the 2<sup>nd</sup> Division has been nothing but kind to you these past two years. To me, that doesn’t sound like people who don’t want you around.” Kyomei replied, Ritsudo just looking to the side. Kyomei set the headphones down on the bed, the frustration on his face gone and instead, a gentle look in his eyes that made Ritsudo further turn from him. “Ritsudo, we only want to help you… it won’t help your or anyone so long as you keep pushing people out. That’s entirely up to you though. Kagami, me, Genjurro… we’ll try all we like though.”</p><p>“Whatever.” Ritsudo muttered, putting the headphones back on and throwing the covers back over him as he turned over.</p><p>“Not that there isn’t someone else who needs to take that advice to heart.” Kyomei sighed as he stepped down from the bed. He took another look over the messy room, tapping his foot as a brief, annoyed click of his tongue sounded. “Yeah, nope. I cannot leave this alone… I’m cleaning this all up before I head down to HQ. I know you’re not listening Kenzaki, but try to keep a bit of a cleaner place… at least take care of yourself more.”</p><p>The sheets just shuffled over more and tightened up, and again Kyomei was able to hear the music blaring into Ritsudo’s ears. Looks like he <em>had </em>been listening in a bit. Kyomei gave a breath as he rolled his sleeves up, putting his left hand to his right forearm as the hand closed to a fist.</p><p>“Just be one percent better every day… eventually you’ll reach one-hundred percent.”</p><hr/><p>Lydian Academy also had a secret side of it. The elevator in the main wing of the school had more to it than just a fancy look. All that Kyomei had to do after entering was swipe a particular device separate from his phone along a panel to the side, which caused another set of panels to open up and hand rails opened up as well. Which were very much needed, because after Kyomei grabbed onto the rail, the elevator shot down far faster than the norm for it.</p><p>After a short time, passing lights changed, and the glass of the elevator came to a view of a much. <em>much </em>larger space. Incredibly wide and a downwards cone in shape, primarily red and with slews of ornate designs marking the sections of the massive conical area marred only by the large black support struts in the location. This massive underground structure existed for reasons Kyomei himself wasn’t privy too.</p><p>Though he was more wrapped up in his thoughts as he stepped out of the elevator and into the large hallways of the facility this secret little elevator led to. Genjurro’s words earlier in the day still stuck in him, and he couldn’t help but mull over it.</p><p>In the two years since that incident, he’d <em>tried </em>to help Tsubasa, who by far had been heavily effected by it. Gone was the shy, awkward but sweet girl he’d grown up with, in her place a stoic, cold young woman who rebuffed others harshly and shut them away with all the sharpness of the swords she wielded.</p><p>“Aren’t a bow and sword supposed to be a proper pair?” Kyomei sighed as he couldn’t help but think out loud, pocketing his hands as his walk eventually brought him to the main command room of the base. Fittingly large and with plenty of people at work at the stations, Genjurro looking over all of it. Nearby to the man, currently in conversation with him was a woman with tied up brown hair and violet eyes behind tinted glasses, dressed in a flowy labcoat and stylish clothes, an air of bubbling energy surrounded her with ease. And she turned as soon as the Kyomei arrived, giving a welcome sound.</p><p>“Ahh Kyomei, you’re here! How’s Ritsudo doing?” The woman, Ryoko Sakurai, said as she threw up a hand. Kyomei couldn’t help but look to the side as he closed his eyes and a stilted chuckle left his throat, Ryoko giving a playful wince as she saw the look. “He’s in a mood again isn’t he? Ah that boy, he needs to stop locking himself up in his room so much. I don’t nearly have as much data on his Relic as I would like!”</p><p>“Ryoko-kun.” Genjurro’s tone was level but a slight edge was to it, Ryoko chuckling as she turned to the man.</p><p>“I didn’t mean anything bad by it. But I do have a job to do after all. Besides I know you’re thinking the same thing for the most part.” Ryoko replied, Genjurro sighing as he folded his arms.</p><p>“It’ll be fine. Besides, for now we’ll be fine with Kyomei and Tsubasa.” Genjurro said, Ryoko nodding along. “And she should be here about now as is…”</p><p>Kyomei turned around as the door opened again. It was like a cold wind came in the second Tsubasa entered the room. Neat looking and composed, Tsubasa strode in with a cool feeling of weight to her. Her eyes looked at Kyomei for a brief moment as she stopped next to him. It was a moment, but in that look, Kyomei felt a coldness to it… a coldness with something hiding behind it.</p><p>The look immediately made Kyomei look forward, trying not to shuffle about as an awkward feeling pervaded his head. He couldn’t help but reach into his left pocket and grip at an item stowed deep into it.</p><p>“Commander, what’s our assignment supposed to be?” Straight and to the point, Tsubasa’s words prompted Genjurro to turn to the massive screen dominating the furthest end of the room, which following suit turned on into a local map of the city and surrounding region.</p><p>“The 1<sup>st</sup> Division encountered a Noise incursion a ways outside of the city. They’re testing some of the Anti-Noise weapons that have been in development, but the odds are that it won’t go well for them. You two are going to head there and deal with the Noise before any casualties can occur.” Genjurro turned back to the teens, who both nodded to confirm the orders. “If you two are good with that, then go and get ready. The helicopter will be departing soon.”</p><p>“Understood.” Tsubasa turned and left first, Kyomei giving a light sigh as he watched her leave, then turning and giving a nod to Genjurro before following after. Genjurro for his measure sighed, and Ryoko chuckled as she twirled a bit of hair around.</p><p>“Ah what a sight to see childhood friends who used to be so close being so distant now. It’s a real shame too, the two haven’t been able to Synchronize their Symphogears for two years now.” Ryoko noted, giving a hum, Genjurro glancing at her. “And the curious thing is that it’s Tsubasa who’s closing their connection off… Kyomei’s trying to break through but she won’t let him.”</p><p>“How can you be sure of that point?” Genjurro said, Ryoko chuckling.</p><p>“Well of course I am. I am the developer of the Sakurai Theory… besides, whether or not a pair can Synrhonize is just as indicative of their compatibility as it is their trust in each other… speaking of Synchronization, how has looking for a Harmonic who could pair with Ritsudo gone?” Ryoko asked, Genjurro sighing again.</p><p>“No luck at all so far.” Genjurro said, Ryoko pouting playfully. “Besides… I’m not sure he’d be able to Synchronize at all… that boy won’t allow anyone to be close to him. Yet… I can’t help but feel like somewhere deep down, he does want to though.”</p><hr/><p>Night was starting to fall over the city, the sky a dark shade of amber so deep that soon, it’d turn into star spangled, midnight blue. The buildings of the inner districts were starting to light up, painting the skyline various colors of light that made it gleam like a bright gem.</p><p>But these sights were promptly ignored by Ritsudo. His room was dark and the only light in it that wasn’t filtering in through the closed blinds was coming from the laptop in front of the teenager. It wasn’t even abjectly doing much of anything, just playing a random music video the video sharing site had randomly opened up. Ritsudo wasn’t even paying attention it, it was mere background noise behind his headphones, which instead were plugged into the also plugged in handheld he had opened up.</p><p>Because it was definitely inconvenient when you need to see right, Ritsudo had his bangs tugged back with a black clip, though not so much that they weren’t hiding the scar above his eye. Just like the music the game’s own noises felt like background noise in his ears. It was just another dull feeling he had, nothing came through for real, it was always just background noise to him.</p><p>Right now he could guess it was likely Kyomei and Tsubasa were heading out on whatever mission they were being assigned. He was expecting to get talked to by Genjurro tomorrow, no doubt for both his skipping of classes on the start of the new year, but also his own refusal to even go down to the HQ and at least see what was going on. Not that he cared nor felt a need to bother with it anyway.</p><p><em>“You know being in your head is </em>really <em>depressing sometimes. It’s all grey pictures and dull noise. The hell is this, an old silent film but without the humor?”</em></p><p>Ritsudo almost jumped in surprise when he heard that. A voice not through his ears but in his head. He looked down when he saw that just under the thin shirt he was wearing, a dull glow was visible… a dull glow from the pendant shoved under there. Even weirder, the voice was his own.</p><p>“What the hell?” Ritsudo muttered, shaking his head as he then shut off the console and laid down. He wasn’t going to think about it. He could just ignore it, just let it slide away and forget about it… at least he hoped to. This, somehow, felt like it’d be more persistent. “Was that you dam shiv?”</p><p>He waited for a few moments, but nothing. Ritsudo sat up and gave a grumble, pulling his shirt’s collar forward, looking down at the pendant and one other thing, a scar in the center of his chest and just under his collar bone, peculiarly in the shape of the forte symbol. It was old enough the shape was starting to fade into a tone more like his normal pale skin tone, but still prominent enough to be easily visible.</p><p>“Tch, stupid thing… first you give me this and now you’re messing with me huh?” Ritsudo pulled the pendant off as his eyes bored into it, and he sighed as he then tossed it onto the table as he set the game console down and headed for the bed. Unknown to him though, the pendant started buzzing again, a small, gentle chime coming from it.</p><p>
  <em>“Another one ehhh? Different than those other two… but this one is odd. And it’s nearby… hmm, wonder if I can make the kid meet this person. Maybe it’ll do him some good.”</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Encounter the Stars</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sound of the helicopter blades were muffled by the closed bay of the craft, meaning that while there was certainly noise, the cabin was relatively silent for Kyomei and Tsubasa as they sat across from each other. The entire ride there had been dead quiet aside from the sound of the chopper blades. But, eventually the crackle of the comm line broke the silence.</p>
<p><em>“We’re just above the location now! Opening the door!” </em>As the pilot spoke, the door of the chopper opened. Kyomei immediately went and grabbed the hand rail, looking down to the see the situation below.</p>
<p>While it was dark as night out, massive flood lights illuminated the battle below. Normal soldiers one and all, a No Mans Land area between them and the swarm of Noise coming towards them, marked more by the massive one behind the swarm. Nothing they fired at the Noise did a thing, only passing through the Noise and tearing through the forest behind them, missiles phasing through and leaving burning craters where they struck instead.</p>
<p>“Looks like the Anti-Noise weapons still aren’t working well.” Kyomei noted, but the second he opened his mouth to say more, Tsubasa immediately jumped from the bay. Kyomei could only sigh as he threw off the headset. “Of course she doesn’t give time for a plan.”</p>
<p>And then he jumped himself.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Imyuteus Ame-no-Habakiri tron.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Fugite verum Gandiva tron.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>~(Ya-Haiya a sound that resonates oppressively) (Ya- haiya- towards heartlessness we march) (Ya- heiya-heiya-heiya-ei strength won’t come back) (Ya- heiya-heiya-heiya-ei Ame-no-Habakiri yae-)-</em>
</p>
<p>The fall from the two slowed as balls of light surrounded them, the light breaking, and the now armored pair landing in front of the swarm. In the passed years, it had caused the armors to change from what they were before. White had become more prominent across the armor, Tsubasa’s armor gaining more plates, and sections near her legs that folded out quickly into blades. Kyomei’s equipment had sleekened, feather-like edging present at the armor’s new segments, and a small cape hung from his left shoulder, his bow forming as he stood up, the sections forming from panels on his gauntlets.</p>
<p><em>“Tsubasa, Kyomei, cooperate with the 1<sup>st</sup> Division for now and observe enemy reactions.” </em>Genjurro’s voice came over the line.</p>
<p>“No. I’ll be fine by myself.” Tsubasa said, Kyomei glancing back at her.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Tsubasa!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>~A blade that cuts like a sudden wind is as lovely as a thousand flowers. A slashing moon sparkles in the sunlight; sadness, return to the pure land...for eternity~</em>
</p>
<p>Tsubasa produced a sword from her hip, Kyomei clicking his tongue as she shot off on her own. As she slashed her way through the crowd, Kyomei kicked off a Noise and knocked multiple arrows, the items glowing before splitting even further as he fired them off, the red bolts splitting through the crowd as Tsubasa whirled through them, spinning along with the blades on her legs cutting through the Noise in smooth motions, Kyomei’s rapid arrow fire keeping up with her pace as he continued to use the Noise to keep himself off the ground, the moments where he was following with slashes from the sharp edges of the bow’s body before he shot back up into the air.</p>
<p>
  <em>~In a battlefield crying with lamentation, I wipe away the drops of tedium. I put my memories and my pride in every single slash of thunder~</em>
</p>
<p>“I really don’t like this song.” Kyomei couldn’t stop the bitter remark from leaving his mouth, twirling his bow around and stabbing it right through a Noise. He knocked a single, larger arrow from his secondary quiver, turning around as Tsubasa leaped into the air, her sword transforming from a slim katana to a much larger blade bigger than herself. As Kyomei’s arrow arced with red electricity the moment he fired it, a blast of blue energy also arced by electricity left Tsubasa’s blade, the two attacks blasting through the remaining large Noise with ease.</p>
<p>Tsubasa landed, steam flying from ports of her armor that opened up, while Kyomei’s bow split and returned to the smaller form locked to his gauntlets. Tsubasa was quick to leap off and away from the soldiers, Kyomei giving yet another sigh as his eyes followed the girl while the sound of her song fading rang in his ears. He turned and looked at the pillar of smoke rising from the ground and the gash left from her attack.</p>
<p>He only had a single thought in mind though.</p>
<p>“It’s such a lonely song.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>The following day, it was nice and bright with plenty of sun coming down on Lydian Academy. The massive cafeteria was abuzz with activity from the students, the groups at their tables chatting away with the day’s current lessons in mind. Some were planning what to do after classes, some studying while eating, others playing games, and any other kind of activity.</p>
<p>And of course by choice, Ritsudo had gone and isolated himself in a lone corner of the lunch room, hood up and headphones on, making sure nobody would want to come near him with the cloud clearly hanging over him. His phone had a news article on it, a report about the previous night’s operation by the JSDF. While it did have details about the Noise, Ritsudo knew well enough about the details kept out of it, that being the fact the reason for the operation’s success was because of Kyomei and Tsubasa’s actions.</p>
<p>“As I said, they didn’t need my help at all.” Ritsudo’s voice was quiet as he spoke, giving a huff as he locked the phone and pocketed it, getting back to picking at his lunch. In a school where the students had free reign to make a variety of selections from a rather healthy plate of things from all kinds, downright on par with a high tier restaurant, Ritsudo had elected for the simple curry dish. Why? Because he didn’t feel the need to put effort into picking his food out.</p>
<p>And by now, any surprise he could have had to someone deciding to show up vanished, because that darned, ever cheery voice that somehow cracked through the wall he tried to put up caused Ritsudo to immediately grumble, his eyes shifting enough to see Wataru trotting over. A look just a bit further showed that the three boys Wataru <em>had </em>been with were looking on in equal parts exasperation and worry.</p>
<p>“Hey there, Ritsudo-san!” Wataru’s greeting was chipper as ever. Ritsudo elected to force his silence by shoving a large spoonful of his food into his mouth. “So, did you hear about the thing with the JSDF last night? Pretty crazy huh? It wasn’t far from here.”</p>
<p>And another bite entered Ritsudo’s mouth.</p>
<p>“What do you think actually happens there? There’s never a lot of details about Noise attacks when they happen. I wonder how they stop them…”</p>
<p>And <em>another </em>bite.</p>
<p>“… you think it’s some kind of special weapon? Like some kind of special gun that fires super special bullets or something?”</p>
<p>And another.</p>
<p>“Though maybe that’s not cool to talk about here in school. You want some help with notes? I’ve got mine from yesterday, as few as they are. I can let you copy them over.”</p>
<p>And another. Ritsudo was really hoping Wataru would take the hint and just leave. Though that may have been setting the bar too high… or maybe too low. He didn’t know or did he care which one it really was.</p>
<p><em>“Tough to get through to as ever.” </em>Wataru couldn’t help but mumble a bit as Ritsudo’s vapid stare shifted to him for a moment. He didn’t want to just give up that easily though. Wataru’s friends warned him against the idea, they had been since last year. But it just wasn’t in Wataru’s nature to leave someone alone when they were very obviously isolating themselves by their own will.</p>
<p>“So…”</p>
<p>“How long are you going to keep this up?” Ritsudo interrupted as Wataru started speaking, his tone cold as his eyes angled up to look at the other boy. “What are you even getting out of this huh? Is it just <em>funny? </em>How many people are there laughing when I’m not looking, or is it for rumors? Anything else? What’s the damn point of you doing this?”</p>
<p>“… you seriously think I’m doing this for something like that?” Wataru sighed and looked back to Ritsudo’s cold gaze. It wasn’t like he couldn’t tell Ritsudo didn’t see anyone as trustworthy at all. Exactly the kind of person who’d think anyone <em>trying </em>to get close had some ulterior motive behind it, and not one that was nice at all. “I’m not sure you’d believe me, but I’m not kidding that I just want to be your friend. Not everybody is out to get you ya’ know?”</p>
<p>Ritsudo’s voice caught in his throat, his mouth then turning into a grimace. There wasn’t any reply he could throw out to that which wouldn’t sound like a dumb excuse, an attempt at something that could be easily shut down. He didn’t like that look Wataru had, eyes that clearly didn’t have any ill intent behind them, a friendly, actually warm gaze that wasn’t faking the smile in an attempt to bait anything in… but he didn’t trust it at all. He didn’t want to trust it.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Or is it because you just don’t want to be hurt again? You’re the kind of person who would rather be alone than be hurt again, right?”</em>
</p>
<p>Ritsudo shot to his feet as that voice spoke in his head again, his arms shaking rigidly against the table as a hissing breath passed by his teeth. Wataru tilted his head in confusion as he looked up at Ritsudo. The entire lunchroom had suddenly turned in the direction of it due to the sudden loud noise caused by Ritsudo. He sucked in a sharp breath and then dashed out of the cafeteria, not even bothering to move as he bumped into people along the way.</p>
<p>“Was there… some kind of voice just now? I thought I heard him say something.” Wataru said, the stunned moment breaking when his friends from before called out to him. Wataru spared a glance to the plate Ritsudo had left behind, along with his school bag as well. “He’s a little careless isn’t he?”</p>
<hr/>
<p>Considering the time of day, the arcade was almost dead silent except for the lone machine Ritsudo was seated at. In a way he preferred it, stowing himself away in a little corner of the shopping district where nobody would care to look for a student out of school much earlier than he should have. Though he hadn’t been keeping track of time anyway so for all Ritsudo knew, hours had already passed by and evening was starting to hit.</p>
<p>It wasn’t like he felt any need to care about it that much. He didn’t care at all.</p>
<p>“… bored now.” Rather than finish the match he was on, of a rather notable streak, Ritsudo shoved the chair back and got up, pocketing his hands and strolling to the stairs as he further cranked the volume of his headphones. Whatever song was playing didn’t matter, just so long as there was noise he could use to block out the sounds of anyone on the street. He’d just let his memory carry him back to the station and then to Lydian, where hopefully he could just return to his bed and sleep without a care to the world for the matter.</p>
<p>If only though.</p>
<p>Ritusdo stopped when he felt a step come onto not solid concrete, but something else. The softest of crunches that he was able to feel through the sole of his shoe. His hazy vision snapped back to focused as he looked down to see what he had stepped in.</p>
<p>Ash… a pile of ash was under his foot.</p>
<p>Looking up and around, Ritsudo saw that almost the entire area around him now was strewn with piles of ash, some large and some small. More were visible within some shops, and the air made flecks of black flutter through the air. A scent like sulfur filled his nose as well.</p>
<p>“Noise.” The signs were obvious, and as if only to confirm the suspicion, he felt a small vibration on his chest. “Yeah yeah I know. Let’s get going.”</p>
<p>Ritsudo pulled the pendant off and held it out in front of him. With a stream of light, his fingers expanded outwards as the pendant changed form, mechanical sounds of parts moving into place sounding as the light then burst to reveal the item in his hands. A sheathed sword, around one meter in length from tip to guard. The guard was dark grey, simple and small, simply bordering the lower part of the blade and connecting to the hilt, fitting for the length long enough for two hands, yet oddly slender despite it, white in color with black highlights and made of some kind of rubber material. The bottom of the hilt was also grey and of a small portion of the hilts total length, a braided, blue length of cloth even longer than the hilt looped into it, the end of the length loose and free to the wind. The sheathe itself, like the guard and grip of the blade within, looked far more high tech than old fashioned, looking almost like a large blade itself with a black edge and grey center, small sections glowing a faint blue present, and more of the blue chord wrapping around the sheathe.</p>
<p>Ritsudo opened his mouth, a sound about to come from it as he gripped the hilt with his right hand… only for a sudden yell to draw his attention behind him. A hum came from the sword, Ritsudo clicking his tongue.</p>
<p>“Fine, I’ll see where it came from.”</p>
<p>Releasing his hold on the hilt and lowering the sword to his left hip, Ritsudo turned and ran off in the direction of the voice he’d heard. As he ran, a smirk split Ritsudo’s expression when, into his view, Noise appeared. The creatures were quick to turn to him as he didn’t slow his run at all, his right hand flying to the hilt of the sword again.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Scinida Ame-no-Murakumo tron!”</em>
</p>
<p>Ritsudo drew the blade as his voice range, the weapon flasing through the air as he shot forward while wrapped in light. As he stopped on the other side with the Noise he’d slashed turning to ash, the light around him flew away to reveal the form he’d taken. A primarily dark blue, black accented under suit, armor of a silvery-white color and with dark blue segments, his headphones replaced by a blue and white headset that mimicked the shape of the headphones but with extra protrusions from the ear pieces, while over his shoulders and flowing down as he stood and swiped the sword down, a black cloak fluttered down, almost concealing his body as more of it wrapped around his shoulders and covered his mouth slightly.</p>
<p>The blade that had flashed through the air was done in a gleaming black finish, its straight, double edged blade tapering off to a slender, leaf-like point, and the light of the evening sun running down the blade made rippling patterns along the flat visible.</p>
<p>Ritsudo chose to keep moving by leaping up to the roof tops, leaping further to get as high as he could to look around. The Noise had to be targeting something, that scream earlier told enough about that. The things were always drawn to people… so if he found where the Noise were focusing themselves to, he’d find the person. Simple as that.</p>
<p>And at the same time, a song of Ritsudo’s own was leaving his throat.</p>
<p>
  <em>~”Don’t say you want to die.” “Live on without giving up!” … How foolish it is to say songs with lyrics like that are correct. In truth, I couldn’t care a bit if I died, but I’d be pretty sad if people around me did, I suppose it’s some kind of ego that goes: “Because I just wouldn’t like it.”~</em>
</p>
<p>Looking around more, Ritsudo’s eyes locked down when he saw it. The shapes were vague, but as he fell they got clearer. A teenaged girl leading along a younger girl as well. A thought crossed his mind for a moment at seeing that the teenager was in the girl’s uniform for Lydian, not that he would know who she could be since he hardly knew a person at the school anyway. A small burst of wind through the air changed Ritsudo’s direction as he fell, bringing him to fall between the two girls as the Noise chasing them from behind.</p>
<p>Blue flames flickered across his sword as it was swung, the Noise being blown away by the gout of fire, the running girls stopping and staring at the figure. The teenager though, looked all the more shocked at what she saw, making a small Noise as Ritsudo barely turned his head to her, exposing his dark gaze looking back at her.</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t run that way if I were you, there’s a bunch of Noise on the other side of the wall. You know where the nearest shelter is?” Ritsudo pointed off to the exit in the alleyway that led to the artificial river, and true to his words, Noise started edging across from the walls, the older and younger girl both yelping in shock, Ritsudo jumping over them and bringing his sword down with a wave of water following it, creating a wall between them and the Noise. “Do you know where it is or not?!”</p>
<p>“Y-Yes!” The teenager nodded as she got the words out, Ritsudo only looking forward again. “W-what about you?”</p>
<p>“Not worth worrying about me. Just run and get the hell out of here. This many Noise isn’t an issue.” Ritsudo sheathed his sword and held the hilt firmly as the water wall began to fade, looking back with a stern look on aimed at the girls. The teenager nodded and then ran off with the child, Ritsudo looking forward as the water wall fell, his blade quickly flashing out with lightning following it as the Noise pounced at him, blowing through the swarm and to the other side of the river in one motion alone.</p>
<p>
  <em>~Not caring if strangers live or not, and hating someone else just seems like some kind of fashion now, but “Live peacefully” nevertheless? What a wonderful thing that would be indeed…” On the other side of the screen, someone dies, lamenting that someone else sings, influenced by that, a young boy ran off carrying a knife.~</em>
</p>
<p>But of course, it couldn’t be that easy. The moment he landed, more Noise came out of the other passages of the streets to attack. While they quickly went down with each swing of his sword, the swarm just didn’t stop as he kept along. The path he was cutting through lead him right out of the shopping area and further along the road to a nearby power plant. He came to a stop on the hill overlooking the road as the swarm started to thin in the area.</p>
<p>The view went right out over the industrial zone of the city and right to the open sea beyond. Anybody else would have called this an amazing sight to behold with the twilight sky before them… Ritsudo’s concern was elsewhere as he flipped his sword around and shoved it through a Noise, whacking another with the weapon’s sheathe and sending it’s crumbling remains down the hill. A part of him couldn’t help but think to those two from before… in which he then immediately went wide eyed when he saw that the teenager was now running with the kid on her back on the service road <em>into </em>the industrial plant.</p>
<p>“The hell?! This is way too far from the shelter! The hell is she doing all the way over here?!” Giving a growl as he looked over to see more Noise making their way down the road towards the girl as she fell, Ritsudo grit his teeth and jumped down, landing heavily right in front of the girl, reaching out and pulling her and the kid up quickly. “I said to run to the shelter, not here!”</p>
<p>“I… I was just running and… I know we’re far from the shelter, but…” The girl was panting heavily between words, Ritsudo clicking his tongue, turning back around and looking off at the Noise coming towards them. “I-I’m sorry…”</p>
<p>“Don’t apologize over nothing… tch, this just complicates things… whatever. Keep running to wherever you have too, I’ll hold them off.” A thought also came to mind as he drew his sword again while the girl kept running. “They could really bother to send Aikawa and Kazanari out about now, would make this crap easier.”</p>
<p>
  <em>~We are hated by life itself. Pushing values and ego, as always, so very simply we broadcast songs about wanting to kill somebody else over radio waves. We are hated by life itself. We who thoughtlessly say we want to die, and look at life carelessly, are hated by it.~</em>
</p>
<p>The fighting with the Noise wound up carrying on from the road and into the plant itself. While Ritsudo was assuredly thinning out the herd bit by bit, it was like <em>something </em>kept them coming somehow. The corwd felt thinner but it was as if every new bend came with another bunch of Noise to cut down as well. But despite it, he chose to keep fighting the swarm as the sky grew darker and darker.</p>
<p>
  <em>~I’ve got no money, and so throughout the day again, I sing songs of praise to indolence. Still without grasping the meaning of life, I come to an epiphany that it’s pointless and take a breath. Are these wounds really OK to be expressed with words like “I’m lonely”? Carrying nothing but such obstinacy, today again I sleep alone on my bed.~</em>
</p>
<p>Eventually the swarm finally thinned out to what <em>looked </em>like a total halt, Ritsudo taking a second to relax his stance, his breathing somewhat heavier than when he started. Despite the time that had passed since he’d started fighting, he didn’t feel that tired at all. All of course, thanks to the armor and the sword he was wielding… which to his annoyance began ringing like a chime in his hands.</p>
<p>“Oh what is it now?! They’re all gone aren’t they?!”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Balwisyall nescell Gungnir tron!”</em>
</p>
<p>“Holy words?!” Ritsudo looked up as the call rang through the air, looking up as a bright light suddenly pierced the air and shot upwards from well above him atop one of the zone’s buildings. His sword rang more and more as the light pulsed before cutting out as soon as the light faded, though the screaming that followed was easy to see as he caught <em>something </em>shifting just in and out of view from above.</p>
<p>Deciding a better view would be the best option, Ritsudo leapt to the wall of the building and kicked off of it, a burst of air following him as he went from surface to surface until he shot over the top of the building. To his visible annoyance there was more Noise as he came down and landed in an open gap they had left… though annoyance went to surprise as he turned around.</p>
<p>It was the girl, now clad in armor of her own. For the most part light, the heaviest segments being the gauntlets and boots she had, with a light headset and small set of armor visible on the back of her waist.</p>
<p>“What in the… why do you have a Symphogear?” Ritsudo said, the girl giving a confused tilt of her head, Ritsudo turning and swiping at the Noise as they closed in to attack, wind whipping from the blade and kicking up debris as it blasted through the crowd. “Whatever, if you do have one then you can fight these things… you can do that right?”</p>
<p>“Wait, fight? I don’t even know what’s going on! What is this thing?! A Symphogear, what’s that?”</p>
<p>“Oh you are <em>kidding me!” </em>Ritsudo turned again and kept slashing at the Noise. Meanwhile as he did, the now armored girl picked up the kid and started edging away from the main group of Noise… and Ritsudo picked up that she was singing in place of him now.</p>
<p><em>~I absolutely... Won't let go of this hand. After all, look, the heat humans make is so warm. I don't need complicated words. I understand now. We will resonate with our brave minds.</em> <em>Quickly, quickly, these teardrops welling up overflow. I want to weave our souls together with these millions of feelings... Now, Blast away this energy.~</em></p>
<p>“It’s actually getting through?” Ritsudo paused in a bit of confusion at this… it was like something piercing into his head as the girl sang. When a Noise got too close to her, the girl then leapt back with the kid in her arms, flying back way further than she was likely intending to. Clicking his tongue, Ritsudo followed after and grabbed the girl by the arm, pulling her to the ground rather than letting her keep crashing around.</p>
<p>“What’s going on?!” The girl shouted, Ritsudo sighing as he pulled her back again as more Noise shot at them. “And why… why am I singing?”</p>
<p>“Cut with all the questions dammit!” Ritsudo snapped, putting a hand to his head. “Look, if you’re gonna carry the kid, then leave the fighting to me got it?! And don’t fling yourself around either!”</p>
<p>“I-I wasn’t trying to go that far though!” The girl said, Ritsudo rolling his eyes then releasing a series of slashes with water trailing behind his blade as he shot through the swarm of Noise. The girl was stunned for a moment as Ritsudo swiped his blade clean of the ash that got stuck to it. “Whoa… that’s so cool.”</p>
<p>“… you have got to be kidding me.” Ritsudo however, was keeping up his streak of annoyance as two gigantic type Noise strolled onto the scene. From behind them, a Noise launched at the armored girl. Instinct carried her arm forward, her fist slamming into the Noise in a clumsy but solid punch, and as the Noise faded to ash while she remained in one piece, the surprise and awe were clear on her expression. Ritsudo then immediately turned and let loose a blast of flame at the Noise… and when the light from a vehicle became visible along with a loud engine, he clicked his tongue. “About damn time they shot up.”</p>
<p>A motorcycle then shot right past the two teenagers, the girl looking on in surprise at just <em>who </em>was riding it: Tsubasa. As she came screaming by, the blue haired girl angled the bike and leapt right off of it, letting it crash into the large Noise and go up, and while falling, her voice rang in her own activation call. Her Symphogear was quickly donned, and just as quickly as Tsubasa launched back into the air, a bolt of red shot through the air and slammed into one of the giant Noise.</p>
<p>Not far off atop another building, Kyomei lowered his bow as the giant Noise crumbled, followed up quickly by Tsubasa descending from the sky with a giant sword planted to a foot, crashing down on the remaining giant Noise as it lumbered over Ritsudo and the other Symphogear girl. Kyomei looked down, and his eyes wound up meeting with Ritsudo’s, who only looked away as he scoffed in annoyance. As usual, Kyomei could only sigh as his eyes then stared at Tsubasa, who was glaring daggers at the other girl…</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <em>Shortly before…</em>
</p>
<p>With the alarms blaring, Tsubasa and Kyomei rushed into the command center as fast as they could. The monitor was showing a blaring red map of the city area, warnings of all kinds for the Noise presence going off all over it.</p>
<p>“What’s the current situation?” Tsubasa said.</p>
<p>“Currently, we’re narrowing down the list of possible responses and… wait, it’s a Symphogear signal! Ame-no-Murakumo! Kenzaki is out there!” One of the main operators of the crew, a young man named Sakuya, turned to Genjurro as the alert then blared showing a wave pattern and the name for the Ame-no-Murakumo, Ritsudo’s Relic, as the signal was found.</p>
<p>“Can you establish contact with him?” Genjurro said, Sakuya shaking his head.</p>
<p>“No sir. We have his communicator signal, but it’s still located here in the Lydian campus.”</p>
<p>“So he left it sitting around at home again hmm?” Ryoko said, leaning in her chair as she hummed. “Well whatever, at least he’s actually fighting for once in a good while, right?”</p>
<p>“He should be able to handle it.” Genjurro said, turning to Kyomei and Tsubasa. “You two, we’ll send you out if any trouble does come up. Ritsudo can at least use his Relic’s raw power as a general crutch… but if the Noise numbers become too much, you’ll go out and help deal with them.”</p>
<p>“Understood.” Kyomei chose to respond to the order, Tsubasa just giving a silent nod. The time passed by as they watched the signal for Ritsudo move from the town and further away into the industrial area. Most of it was just silent waiting and routine chatter over different things as they happened. The oddity of it all was the new Noise signatures that appeared from time to time… it was almost like time was being stalled for.</p>
<p>And then an alert for a new signal suddenly began to blare to the surprise of everyone in the room.</p>
<p>“We’ve isolated the response! We have its exact location! It’s near Kenzaki!”</p>
<p>“We’ve detected a high energy source that doesn’t belong to the Noise!”</p>
<p>“Identify the wave pattern! Hurry up!”</p>
<p>As the commotion was going on, Kyomei slipped a hand into his pocket as he felt a buzzing in it. His hands wrapped around the item and pulled it out, the pendant that had formerly belonged to Koto. A small staff shaped item that almost jumped from his palm with how hard it was vibrating, causing a soft ring to emanate through the room. All Kyomei could think in the moment was a confused thought at just what could be causing that reaction… and his eyes glinted as a realization came to him.</p>
<p>“No, this couldn’t be… an Aufwachen wave pattern?!” Ryoko’s declaration earned looks from Kyomei and Tsubasa, the former pocketing the pendant, but not looking nearly as surprised as his partner did to hear that word leave the scientists mouth… rather, Kyomei was now seeing if there would be an actual confirmation about this suspicion now.</p>
<p>And when the screen flashed with an image appearing to it, that suspicion was turned into truth. The image of the wave pattern was one he knew, the orange glow enough to tell all… and then the signal code was confirmed right before all of their eyes: Gungnir.</p>
<p>“The Gungnir?!”</p>
<p>As the words left Genjurro’s mouth, the reaction from the two Symphogears was almost two sides of the same kind. Kyomei’s expression hardened as his jaw went tight, gripping the pendant in his pocket again. When he looked over to Tsubasa however, her face told an entirely different story… her eyes had gone wide and her mouth agape, and nothing but abject horror could be seen in her expression as she stared at the screen.</p>
<p>Kyomei also felt a small twinge in his mind. A connection long since thought to have gone dormant had suddenly sparked, and he clutched at his chest as the feeling pierced through him. Flashes of the events from two years ago rose in his mind, and the feeling welling up in him was nothing short of a mix of horror, pain, and disbelief… but the feelings weren’t his. His gaze looked to Tsubasa as the girl’s fists clenched so tight her knuckles were white. Anymore and she’d probably have started bleeding.</p>
<p>An order wasn’t even given before Tsubasa turned and dashed out of the room, Kyomei grimacing. He shook his head to clear it and then followed after the girl.</p>
<p>“Something like this, now?! But… why the Gungnir?! It was destroyed years ago!”</p>
<hr/>
<p>“I guess I have the answer to that now.” Kyomei’s gaze fell on the still unnamed girl in her own armor. It was obvious to him that it was a Gungnir armor from look along, even if it was drastically different from Kanade’s. Even if he hadn’t seen the wave signal or felt Ruyi Jingu Bang’s vibrations, he’d know the Relic anywhere… so the question was, why did this girl have it?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. New Singer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With the Noise all finally eliminated, things had begun to quiet down. As was typical for these kinds of incidents, the government bodies had come in and begun cleanup. Soldiers in full gear sucking up the ash strewn about the area left from the Noise that had been defeated, or in the worst of cases from the people who had been killed by them. All kinds of officials were lined around and the area had been completely cut off from any public access in such a quick manner it told of the commonality of these events.</p>
<p>And then he got hit on the head. Looking up as he groaned, Ritsudo saw Kyomei standing over where he was seated, the other boy’s expression flat.</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“You need to actually keep your communicator with you for situations like this. We only knew where you were because of Murakumo’s signature.”</p>
<p>“So I didn’t need it then.”</p>
<p>“Ritsudo… ugh, never mind. It’s pointless now anyway.”</p>
<p>The attention of the boys turned when they heard shocked yelping. The Gungnir girl was stumbling back as her armor suddenly vanished and returned her to her normal state. Before she could fall, Tsubasa came up behind the girl and caught her mid fall. She got up to politely thank Tsubasa, and then double-took when she realized just who it was who <em>had </em>helped her. Ritsudo caught the girl say “That’s the second time you’ve saved me.” Which just made him give a confused look. The second time? What could she have meant by <em>that?</em></p>
<p>“So, she’s the one with the Gungnir?” Kyomei asked, Ritsudo just nodding as he kept fiddling with his phone. “That shouldn’t be possible…”</p>
<p>“Yet she apparently does.” Ritsudo mumbled just loud enough for Kyomei to actually hear that, which yet again earned a sigh from the other young man. Glancing over, Ritsudo saw that the young girl was back with who he rightly assumed to be her mother, but it wasn’t long before the adult was approached by a member of their little division, prompting a sigh from Ritsudo. “And yet another civilian who has to be sworn to silence because they saw us.”</p>
<p>“Ehehe… well… I think I should just be going.” As for the Gungnir girl, who while not having introduced herself to the others yet was named Hibiki Tachibana, was about to step away… only to find that all of a sudden, quite a few men in suits had arrived and blocked the path, leaving the poor, confused girl to look around with wide eyes, stopping on Tsubasa.</p>
<p>“We can’t just let you leave like that.” Tsubasa said.</p>
<p>“Why’s that?!”</p>
<p>“Sorry about this, but, after that you’ll have to come with us.” Kyomei stepped up and spoke, hoping his less cold attitude would help smooth the situation out. “We’re with the 2<sup>nd</sup> Unit of the Special Disaster Countermeasure Unit. I know it’s sudden and all, but please just come with us for now. It’ll go a lot smoother that way.”</p>
<p>“HAH!” Ritsudo couldn’t help but give a sardonic scoff, which prompted Kyomei to look at him with a stern eye. Of course matters weren’t helped when a weighty pair of electronic hand cuffs were slapped onto Hibiki’s wrists, and not that long after an apology about it had been given from a one Shinji Ogawa, a person Ritsudo personally insisted on always referring to by surname, the poor girl was screaming in confusion as everyone loaded up into cars and drove away from the scene.</p>
<hr/>
<p>And Hibiki’s confusion was only furthered when she saw that had returned to the academy. When they entered, the group pared down to only her, Ritsudo, Kyomei, Tsubasa, and Ogawa as they went through the darkened halls of the closed school. For a place that during the day normally felt warm and homey, at night like this and considering the air about things, it made the school feel ever so slightly off.</p>
<p>“Um… this is the teacher’s building, right? What are we doing in here?” Hibiki didn’t really ask anyone in particular. Tsubasa just remained stoic and silent. Ritsudo wasn’t likely to respond either, because his headphones were cranked up. When her glance went to him, Hibiki couldn’t help but see something familiar in the other teenager’s face, even if it was nearly hidden behind the shroud his hair cast. She then recalled how he was the same person she’d seen rushing out of the lunchroom earlier the same day.</p>
<p>Just another question added to the girl’s racing mind about everything, particularly why Tsubasa of all people, who as far as Hibiki knew was a famous idol who happened to attend this school, was apparently moonlighting as some kind of super hero or something.</p>
<p>“You’ll see in a minute.” Kyomei chose to answer, though it didn’t make Hibiki feel much better.</p>
<p>When they reached the elevator, it was pretty much procedure for the others as Ogawa scanned his communicator and they all went to posts in the elevator. Hibiki of course, not knowing <em>why, </em>looked around with a raised brow. Especially as the bars rose up and locked out.</p>
<p>“Uhm… what is this?”</p>
<p>“Just grab a bar.” Ritsudo flat took Hibiki by the hand and made her grab onto the other bar near him, the girl’s face going a tint red as he did… though embarrassment quickly turned into terror when the elevator shot down like a bullet. Once the pace got easier though, Hibiki went from clinging to the bar in terror to awkwardly laughing with a stilted smile on her face. Kyomei looked mildly amused from her reaction to things, but Tsubasa was more annoyed by it.</p>
<p>“Spare us the smile.” Tsubasa said, Kyomei sighing again. “We don’t need smiles where we’re going.”</p>
<p>“Ignore her! Everyone is friendly, I swear!” Kyomei quickly went to deflect that, Tsubasa giving him a look.</p>
<p>“You’re being too soft.”</p>
<p>“I’m trying not to freak her out!”</p>
<p>“Lover’s Quarrel 2: Electric Boogaloo.” Ritsudo’s dry remark came with a snide look, Tsubasa glaring at him while Kyomei looked away with a red tint coming to his face. Hibiki actually laughed a bit at the comment, but then she froze. Because like everybody else now she saw it. The look in Ritsudo’s eyes that, despite their dark, vibrant shade of blue, lacked any luster at all. Even Hibiki couldn’t help but feel a chill as she looked into those dead eyes of his.</p>
<p>It really all just left her wondering what she was getting herself into…</p>
<hr/>
<p>Only to then experience what was probably the most extreme sense of mood whiplash in her life. The moment the group had entered the facilities rec room, party poppers and streamers went off, a big old “Welcome!” banner was hung from the ceiling, all kinds of food was laid out on the tables, an even <em>bigger </em>welcome sign was on the wall, and Genjurro had a <em>top hat </em>of all things on his head as he gave a warm laugh.</p>
<p>All in all Hibiki was also realizing this was the wildest night of her life so far.</p>
<p>“Welcome to the fortress of the protectors of humanity, the 2<sup>nd</sup> Unit of the Special Disaster Countermeasure Unit!” Genjuuro proclaimed, Hibiki’s eyes wide, Tsubasa pinching her nose, Kyomei chuckling awkwardly, and Ritsudo tuned out.</p>
<p>“As expected.” Ritsudo was about to head off as he turned on his heel, but then he flinched when an arm hit his shoulder and grabbed him, “NOPE nopenopenope! Not today Ryouko!”</p>
<p>“Ohh come on, just one picture with you and the new girl in it! You know, to commemorate our new friendship!” Ryouko said, Ritsudo looking away, and Hibiki <em>also </em>pulled away herself.</p>
<p>“I can’t take a picture like this! A picture of me in handcuffs wouldn’t be anything but a sad memory!” Hibiki’s response earned a roll of the eyes from Ritsudo and a chuckle from Kyomei. “Come to think of it, how do you all know my name even though we’ve just met?”</p>
<p>“The 2<sup>nd</sup> Unit was originally a spec ops unit organized during the world war. Investigation is our specialty.” Genjurro also elected to pull out one of those fancy magic sticks that suddenly opens into a small bunch of flowers… again for whatever, completely random, reason.</p>
<p>“Yup!” Though Ryouko quickly spoiled it by popping up with Hibiki’s school bag in hand.</p>
<p>“Hey! That’s my bag! Investigation? More like snooping! You went through my bag didn’t you?!”</p>
<p>“Well she’s certainly not out of place.” Kyomei chuckled at the sight, Tsubasa sighing again. Ritsudo had elected to go and squirrel himself a way in a corner. An ironic point would be that Tsubasa and Ritsudo had the same general impression of Hibiki by this point, that she was likely the type with her head in the clouds too often.</p>
<p>“Ogawa, if you would?” Tsubasa said, the young agent chuckling.</p>
<p>“Of course.” And a moment later, Hibiki was finally free of the cuffs, the girl rubbing her wrists and clearly enjoying the returned feeling of freedom she had, also giving her thanks. “It’s not big deal. We kind of owe you an apology about all of this.”</p>
<p>“Well then, allow us to introduce ourselves. I’m Kazanari Genjurro, the guy who runs this place.”</p>
<p>“And I’m a modern Renaissance woman, Sakurai Ryouko. Pleased to meet you!”</p>
<p>“Oh, pleased to meet you too!” Hibiki’s reply was polite and even came with a small bow, and she turned when Kyomei stepped up.</p>
<p>“And I’m Aikawa Kyomei, one of uh… well, let’s say Tsubasa and I are something like special agents here.” Kyomei then jabbed a thumb towards Ritsudo, who was playing on his handheld device and laid across a sofa. “The guy who helped you out there is Kenzaki Ritsudo. He’s also kind of the newbie, he’s only been with us for around a year and a half.”</p>
<p>“Nice to meet you too!” Hibiki then bowed to Kyomei, who nodded. She was clearly a good kid, Kyomei could see that much. He caught how Hibiki’s eyes drifted to Ritsudo. No doubt she could tell the boy’s aura alone carried an entirely different feeling about it. The space they were in now was warm and friendly, but it was like a dour cloud was cast over Ritsudo despite all of it.</p>
<p>“There’s one main reason we called you here.” Genjurro then continued. “And that is so we could ask for your assistance.”</p>
<p>“My assistance? Ah! Does it have to do with what happened to me earlier? Just what was that?! Kenzaki-kun said it was a… what was it… Symphogear? Can you tell me just what happened to me?”</p>
<p>“I can, on two conditions.” Ryouko stepped up to Hibiki, holding up two of her fingers. “First of all, you must not speak about what happened today. The second condition being…” and the woman then pulled the girl close, Kyomei sliding over. “I need you to take off all your clothes for the time being.”</p>
<p>“Eh?”</p>
<p>“Ryouko-san!” Kyomei then immediately pulled Hibiki away from Ryouko, the woman chuckling. “Don’t be weird about it! She’s just asking if she can perform a medical check on your is all. The way you used that Gear was… well, odd, to say the least. Ryouko-san just wants to make sure you’re alright.”</p>
<p>“Ahh come on Kyomei-kun, you’re as much of a spoilsport as Ritsudo is!”</p>
<p>“Someone has to be or else you’d never keep your hands to yourself!”</p>
<p>“Oh. Well, if it’s a medical check, then I’m fine with that. I’ll be in your care!” Hibiki bowed again, and off in his spot, Ritsudo couldn’t help but stare as he held his game on pause. It wasn’t just the feeling in his head likely from Murakumo, ever since he’d actually <em>heard </em>Hibiki’s song, he’d been puzzled and troubled by it. “Why now?”, was what he wondered. “Why is stuff like this happening?”</p>
<hr/>
<p>The following day during class, all was, mostly, normal. Ritsudo had actually bothered showing up that day, but was quietly sleeping behind his raised book. Everyone knew what he was doing but nobody, not even the teacher, bothered to try and wake him up. Last year maybe someone would have, but everyone now knew a lt better. They were more content to just leave the problem child alone than bother wasting their time trying to make him wake up and pay attention.</p>
<p>At least so long as that person wasn’t Wataru, who had the (un)fortunate seating of being in the row right blow Ritsudo, who’s solitary position in the upper part of the class somehow only highlighted his presence in the room. But this day, Wataru was more focused on his note taking rather than interaction. Though his mind was also on some other things. The news had been blaring about the Noise attack the other night, and murmurs about it could be heard all around. That, and there was how he’d seen Ritsudo returning to the dorms <em>well </em>after curfew, which drew the question of why he’d even been up so late.</p>
<p>Then there was the <em>other </em>thing still on Wataru’s mind, that being the other day and how, even if he thought it could have honestly been nothing but a trick of his ears or even just something he caught Ritsudo saying, he couldn’t shake there had been <em>something </em>odd about that voice he’d heard. And with those thoughts in his head, before Wataru knew it, class was already up, and the students were already mingling again as soon as they started heading for lunch. Wataru, of course, left with his own friends.</p>
<p>Three other boys he had a simple enough time putting together by their personalities alone. Mitsuki Yanagi, affluent, maybe a bit overly serious, but well meaning, who stood out thanks to the foreign touches his looks had, such as bright blonde hair and gray eyes. Subaru Terasaki, an otaku to a T who never missed a chance to go on about the latest manga releases, and probably one of the few people Wataru knew could pull off the messy hair and glasses wearing look often associated with otaku, though his face being often said to be cute looking often helped. And then lastly, Rei Kamado, your typical everyman who gave off a sense of being extraordinarily ordinary. So, among the lot, he was obviously the straight man since Wataru was anything <em>but </em>with how unwaveringly all accepting he was.</p>
<p>“Not gonna take a shot at Kenzaki today eh Wata?” Subaru’s choice of nicknames was often seen as a bit egregious by some, but Wataru, of course, took it all in stride. He gave a chuckle in response, shrugging.</p>
<p>“I’ve just had a few other things on my mind is all. I mean there was that Noise attack yesterday and all.”</p>
<p>“Is it just me or have they been getting more frequent?” Rei said, tapping away at his phone. Perhaps the one thing about Rei that was extraordinary was the sheer number of people he was in contact with about things. Case and point, he was currently talking about that very incident the other night with a government official he somehow knew. “Cause in all honesty it’s a bit concerning. Usually attacks are months apart but these past couple have been within days of each other. That’s kind of weird.”</p>
<p>“Ah I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about Rei-kun. The JSDF handles the incidents just fine. Though if only they could respond faster, mayhaps we wouldn’t regularly face such commonly occurring tragic losses of life.” And one of Mitsuki’s main quirks, his darn flowery way of speaking.</p>
<p>“Talk like a normal person will you?” Rei sighed while Wataru and Subaru laughed, Mitsuki only flicking his bangs.</p>
<p>Though perhaps as a surprise to the day as they started chatting about random and totally inane things was when Kyomei appeared seemingly out of nowhere.</p>
<p>“Oi, Kagami-san!” Kyomei approached the lot, and while Wataru returned the greeting cheerfully, his friends looked a lot more shocked to see their upperclassman.</p>
<p>“Ah, Aikawa-senpai, hey there. What brings you here to the second year floor? Is it Ritsudo-san? Oh, your guys’ job?”</p>
<p>“Ehehe, spot on.” Kyomei chuckled, impressed by Wataru’s perceptiveness. Thankfully the “part time job” excuse was all he knew. “Was he in class today? Or will I have to go search the roof again?”</p>
<p>“No, he was in class. Honestly he’s probably still sleeping in there too.”</p>
<p>“That makes it easier. We’re uh, kinda helping out a newbie today after school so I needed to get him up to date about that. Thanks!”</p>
<p>“Good luck Aikawa-senpai!” As Wataru waved Kyomei off, he turned back to his friends who were all eyeing him with equal measures of surprise and some horror. “What? Does this have to do with those rumors about Aikawa-senpai and Kazanari-senpai?”</p>
<p>“Forget the rumors!” Subaru shouted, Wataru raising a brow. “Rumors don’t mean crud! Aikawa-senpai is something else entirely! Don’t ya know Wataru?! He’s the son of two crazy high-ranking politicians! His dad is especially well known, Muzan Aikawa, the guy people say is the right hand of the Prime Minister himself! Dude is so deep in, they also say he’s connected to Kazanari-senpai’s equally mysterious and powerful family!”</p>
<p>“Is it really that big of a deal? What does any of that have to do with Aikawa-senpai?”</p>
<p>Cue three successive facepalms. This was in ways, perhaps Wataru’s biggest flaw, in a way. Maybe it was also just as much of a boon. But, he always looked at people as they were directly and in the moment he met them. As such Wataru tended to have to be yanked back to see the metaphorical forest for the trees… not that it stopped him at times since he was still determined as ever to befriend everybody he could.</p>
<p>So of course he’d somehow also been completely oblivious to knowing about the fact Kyomei wasn’t exactly some nobody at school. Aside from the rumors about him and Tsubasa, people also knew enough about his family that it made them see him as, in a few ways, rather hard to approach, even if Kyomei himself always gave off such a warm air that Wataru saw him as nothing <em>but </em>approachable and friendly.</p>
<p>“Hah, well it’s not as if Lydian Academy is lacking in students of known status. I mean take yours truly for example!”</p>
<p>“Mitsuki, you’ve only said it ten times today. Please stop.” And Rei was quick to verbally smack Mitsuki as the proud young man almost got into it, resulting in a sharp wince of feigned pain from Mitsuki, though he was pleasantly smiling.</p>
<p>Wataru though, couldn’t help but think something too. Had it just been him, or did Kyomei look like he was bothered by something too?</p>
<hr/>
<p>And bothered by something Kyomei <em>definitely </em>was. Ritsudo had actually complied along to actually show up at HQ today for what they were needed for, but his thoughts had still been locked somewhere else. He couldn’t get it out of his head the fact Hibiki had the Gungnir, and how this had to have been effecting Tsubasa. The girl may be stoic, but Kyomei knew her better than anyone and while his read on her wasn’t always the best he knew without a doubt currently she was troubled even more than he was.</p>
<p>He knew she was thinking about Kanade. Two years and while it seemed that maybe, just maybe, Tsubasa was starting to move on, this happens and now all of that past was dredged up and put into the open in their minds yet again. Kyomei sighed as he kept the pace up, but his stride wasn’t that quick to begin with anyway. He at least wanted time to think about things.</p>
<p>It of course didn’t help Tsubasa had effectively completely shut him out despite his attempts to try and help her. But nothing had worked and she only pushed him away, so much so the two lost their ability to Synchronize, a special function of Symphogears that downright required the partners to be in mental harmony with each other… and right now there was nothing but discord. Kyomei wanted to reach out but Tsubasa just pushed away and kept her distance from him.</p>
<p><em>“Now that I think about it… if we found him a partner, would Ritsudo even be able to Synchronize with them?” </em>Kyomei glanced back at Ritsudo as the boy simply kept following him in an almost aimless manner. Ritsudo was probably about as closed off as Tsubasa, and aside from his oft dry remarks about things and curt replies, it was hard to actually get him to talk to someone for a long amount of time. So it couldn’t help but beg the question if he would even be able to perform the act that required actually being willing to allow another person in.</p>
<p>And another thing Kyomei couldn’t stop himself from thinking about was what it is Koto would say about this. HE caught himself as he did and shook his head, but sighed. He still couldn’t stop himself, but how could he blame himself? Koto had been their leader back then, the one who helped make sure their group kept spirits high and didn’t potentially come to blows. “The Invincible Big Brother and Sister” was a nickname he’d attributed to Koto and Kanade… and now one was dead and the other hadn’t been heard from since that time.</p>
<p>“Just where did we go?” Kyomei sighed again, taking a breath to get his head straight. They were at the door to the infirmary about now, and Kyomei opened the door up and entered. “Hey there. Are we late?”</p>
<p>“Just in time actually!” Ryouko greeted the two boys as she angled over to look at them. The others in the room were Hibiki, of course, Tsubasa, Genjurro, and a couple members of the support staff, the main ones who ran most of the support, Aoi Tomosato and Sakuya Fujitaka. “Now that everyone is here, allow me to announce the results of your medical check up! Aside from the fatigue left behind from your first wonderful experience, we found almost nothing wrong with your body.”</p>
<p>“Almost, huh?” Hibiki hummed curiously and with a bit of worry, Ritsudo actually taking an interest in things once the world “almost” had been spoken. Quite the choice of words to use there.</p>
<p>“Oh right, that’s not what you wanted to know.” Ryouko hummed.</p>
<p>“Please, tell me. What was that power?” Hibiki asked. Genjurro looked to the three Gear users. All in turn drew out the pendants they wore to show. Tsubasa’s was rather standard, looking like a red gem of some kind attached to a simple wire necklace. Ritsudo’s of course was sword shaped and deep blue. Kyomei’s pendant was the same deep blue as Ritsudo’s, and rather than a gem or sword shape, came in the form of a bow, part of the pendant’s string forming the bows bowstring.</p>
<p>“Ame-no-Habakiri, Gandiva, and Ame-no-Murakumo. These are the Relics owned by the three of them. While their Relics are functionally similar, they have different kinds of unique abilities only one type can make use of in some manner.” Genjurro explained, Hibiki tilting her head.</p>
<p>“Relics?” Hibiki inquired.</p>
<p>“Relics are artifacts mentioned in folklore around the world.” Ryouko piped in, considering she <em>was </em>the present expert on the topic, “They’re too advanced for our current technology to recreate. Many have been excavated from ruins, but the passage of time’s taken its toll on them. That’s why it’s quite rare to find one that has retained its original power.”</p>
<p>“Tsubasa’s Relic is merely a fragment of the former weapon, a small sliver of a blade. Over the years though, we have added more fragments of the Ame-no-Habakiri we have managed to get out hands on to it, so about now the Relic is thirty percent complete. Kyomei’s is more complete so to say, but that is limited. Tuner Relics are like that in many ways, though in short Kyomei’s Gandiva is only around fifty percent of the original tool. Ritsudo-kun however, has a more unique case. As you may know the Ame-no-Murakumo is also called the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, one of Japan’s Imperial Regalia. For now, we’ll leave that explanation aside.” Genjurro added, alluding to the shape of Ritsudo’s item as he casually fiddled with it between his slender fingers.</p>
<p>“The key to awakening and unleashing the power left in these fragments lies in the vibrations at certain amplitudes.” Ryouko added, Hibiki tilting her head in confusion at the phrase.</p>
<p>“Why do you think you started singing when you transformed?” Ritsudo spoke up, Genjuuro nodding.</p>
<p>“In layman’s terms, we mean a song. A Relic is activated through the power of song.” Genjuuro explained, Hibiki’s expression showing she’d remembered things in a much clearer sense.</p>
<p>“That’s right! That day, I felt a song welling up inside me.” Hibiki noted, Ritsudo glancing over and noticing the tense expression on Tsubasa’s face, Kyomei tensing a hand up a bit as he saw that expression. He knew what she was thinking without even having to say a thing about it.</p>
<p>“Relics awakened by song then undergo a transformation into pure energy.” Ryouko continued the explanation, pointing at the diagrams appearing on a screen, “That energy is then reconstructed into the anti-Noise protective armor, or Symphogear, that the four of you wear, though the boys wear a special variant due to the nature of their Relics. Haromics and Tuners produce different energy patterns, which we call Treble and Bass respectively.”</p>
<p>“That being said, not every song or singer has the power to activate a Relic.” Tsubasa cut in, things growing silent as all eyes turned to her for a moment, the tense air around the idol singer thick enough to cut with a knife, though Genjuuro stood up, keeping a calm smile on as he approached Hibiki.</p>
<p>“Those select few who <em>are </em>capable of activating a Relic through song and wearing a Symphogear are referred to as Harmonics, Tsubasa and you being an example of them, or Tuners, of which Kyomei and Ritsudo-kun are two examples of.” Genjuuro added, gesturing to the other three gear users in the room.</p>
<p>“Do you understand the power that’s been awakened within you?” Ryouko cheerily asked, “I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have.”</p>
<p>“Um…”</p>
<p>“Shoot, Hibiki-chan!”</p>
<p>“I didn’t understand a single thing.” Hibiki chuckled, Ritsudo letting out a sigh as Aoi and Sakuya laughed. Kyomei couldn’t help but chuckle a bit as well, yet Tsubasa had a hand near her face is disappointment and frustration.</p>
<p>“Just as I thought.” Aoi sighed.</p>
<p>“Just like Ritsudo when he first joined.” Sakuya quipped, earning a cross glance from the silver eyed teen.</p>
<p>“I get it all now.” Ritsudo objected, folding his arms.</p>
<p>“I guess that<em> was </em>too much information for a beginner.” Ryouko mused, twirling around, “But at least remember that I’m Sakurai Ryouko, the primary proponent of Sakurai Theory, the sole technology capable of producing Symphogear from a Relic!”</p>
<p>“Ah…. But, I don’t <em>have </em>a Relic. So how did I…” Hibiki noted, looking over when a new image appeared on the board, one of an x-ray of the girl’s torso, and right near her heart were several fragments of <em>something. </em></p>
<p>“You should know what this is.” Genjuuro stated, Hibiki nodding.</p>
<p>“Yes! This is my injury from two years ago!” Hibiki confirmed, Ritsudo blinking, <em>definitely </em>paying attention now, “I was at the incident as well!”</p>
<p>Ritsudo suddenly flinched as she said that, his eyes quite wide as he started fitting that in on his head. The reports <em>had </em>mentioned another survivor aside from just him among the general people at that disaster. He’d always just put it out of mind and he’d also long since forgotten the name of that person as well. But now, that was affirmed right before him just who it was. And it made the mere thought of remembering that day come back up, enough that Ritsudo pulled up his hood and raised his headphones. His breathing got quicker and shakier and his right hand shook as it balled into a fist.</p>
<p>He was quick to excuse himself not long after, and nobody stopped him as he did.</p>
<p>“Wait, what was…” Hibiki looked both concerned and a bit curious about that. Genjurro sighed as he looked back from the door.</p>
<p>“To be short about it, Ritsudo-kun was <em>also </em>there at that disaster two years ago.” Hibiki’s eyes went wide at that statement, Genjurro sighing. “I don’t have a right to tell you about what happened to him there, HIbiki-kun. But, for now, let’s continue from where we were. If you want to talk to him later, you can. Whether he’ll be willing to is another thing entirely though.”</p>
<p>“Alright.” Hibiki nodded, Ryouko clearing her throat and drawing attention back to the x-ray image.</p>
<p>“Since all of these fragments are so deeply embedded near your heart, it’s quite impossible to remove them surgically.” Ryouko explained, Ritsudo having an immediate thought at that.</p>
<p>“What, like Tony Stark in the first Iron Man movie?” Kyomei chirped up, eyes turning to him in confusion, “What? It just… kinda came to mind.”</p>
<p>“Hmhm, essentially.” Ryouko chuckled, amused by the quip, though her look turned somber as she glanced back at Hibiki, “According to our investigation, these shadows are shards of a Relic we thought lost two years ago, Gungnir, the Symphogear formerly worn by Kanade. It was Kanade’s parting gift…”</p>
<p>The gasp that came from Tsubasa was all too audible, Kyomei’s expression showing concern as the blue haired girl began shaking as her eyes widened, the girl slumping over and nearly falling, trudging out of the room as she shook like a leaf, Kyomei clenching a hand.</p>
<p>“I’ll go after her.” Kyomei bowed and left the room himself. The air had no most <em>certainly </em>gotten worse in feeling. Hibiki couldn’t help but awkwardly chuckle about it all.</p>
<p>“Um…” Hibiki murmured, standing up from her seat, “Am I not allowed to speak to anyone about my power?”</p>
<p>“If word were to leak out that we have the power of the Symphogears, your family, friends, all the people you care about would be at risk. Their lives would possibly be in danger.” Genjuuro explained, Hibiki’s eyes widening with worry.</p>
<p>“Even… their lives?” Hibiki’s tone told of unease. Of course it did, this kind of thing wasn’t what a girl her age would normally think about. Genjurro’s face said enough of it. As an adult he was a man who believed kids should allow to be kids… but these ones before him <em>had </em>to fight as they were the only ones who could.</p>
<p>“It’s not like we’re trying to protect any secrets… the Noise are common knowledge after all, not a single person around doesn’t know about those things. Rather, it’s the lives of people we’re trying to protect. For that, will you keep your power a secret?” Genjuuro asked, Ritsudo surprisingly <em>not </em>taking his leave at the shift in mood.</p>
<p>“Please try to understand the enormity of the power you now possess.” Ryouko’s eyes drifted to the door as she spoke, the woman humming. It was like <em>another </em>thing was on her mind at the same time.</p>
<p>“Humans alone cannot defeat the Noise. A human who is not protected by the power of a Symphogear will immediately be carbonized and turn into dust. Merely being touched by one is enough. It’s only through the singers clad in the battle armor of a Symphogear that are the exceptions to this rule.” Genjuuro added, Ritsudo’s expression gaining a notable darkened look, Hibiki glancing at him as she noticed one of his hands curling tightly into a fist. “As the leader of the SDCU 2<sup>nd</sup> Unit, I’d like to formerly request your assistance. Tachibana Hibiki, will you lend us your Symphogear powers in the fight against the Noise?”</p>
<p>“I can save others with my powers, right?” Hibiki asked, Genjurro and Ryouko nodding to her. “Okay!”</p>
<p>And with that, Hibiki left the room as well. Ryouko gave a sigh as she spun a bit and sat down, giving another hum as she leaned on a hand.</p>
<p>“She’s an interesting girl isn’t she? Do you think Hibiki-chan is the kind of person we need to help out our problem cases?” Ryouko said, tapping one finger. Genjurro sighed himself and looked outwards. “Try as we might, sometimes we need to let the children help each other before we adults can step in, Genjurro-kun.”</p>
<p>“I know that much. But, still, I can’t help but want to try myself.” Genjurro hummed himself, then chuckled. “But perhaps you’re right. She may just be the exact kind of person we need around here… we’ll just have to see how things go from here on out with them.”</p>
<p>“Well then, I’ll be sure to be keeping a close eye on all of that! Oh how wonderful it’d be if Ritsudo-kun eased up thanks to her. Seeing him suddenly shaken up like that, the poor boy huh?” While sounding genuine, one could almost swear there was just something a <em>bit </em>more to what Ryouko was saying than one could think. Perhaps it was nothing, but perhaps as well, if one were watching far more closely or maybe just one wild conspiracy theorist, one would think there was a motive from the woman behind that idea. A motive that may not be so altruistic.</p>
<p>But, that was just a wild theory, right?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Damaged Hearts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The breeze that passed by Koto’s cheek felt warm as he stirred awake. The brightness of noon forced his nap-shut eyes open, the young man yawning while also rubbing his eyes clean. The rolling grass of the park split off to the hustle and bustle of the city. Everything around the young man was entirely ideal and peaceful, not even a sign of trouble around as he stood up and began walking among the crowd.</p>
<p>Glancing up, Zwei Wing holo-posters were present around many areas in this recreational district, the sterling visages of Kanade and Tsubasa bringing a brisk chatter to the air he really couldn’t help but smile about as he strode along. There was a factor that also prevented Koto from fully feeling like it was something he could enjoy though, this gnawing feeling in his mind that persisted without end. It causes his smile to falter just a bit.</p>
<p>That half-smile remained as his trotting brought him to yet another now familiar sight. Dressed in a way to go about and disguise herself, but utterly unmistakable for Koto even with her fluffy red-orange hair shoved under a stylish cap and eyes hidden behind thick sunglasses, enough that the average on looker wouldn’t suspect a thing. The sight of Kanade looking at him and smiling as she realized he was drawing closer came with as much joy for him as it did bitterness.</p>
<p><em>“How much longer will I keep this up?” </em>As he chipperly greeted Kanade, Koto couldn’t help but have that thought pass. There was a thing he had realized long ago about all of this, really he’d always known. The city around him, the Kanade he was now holding hands with and happily chatting away about utterly inane things with, none of it was real.</p>
<p>It all <em>felt </em>real, everything did. It wasn’t like there was some hazy, dream like layer to everything that clued him in. Every last thing around and before Koto felt real and present. Rather, his realization about all of this was his own intuition. He was unable to refute the reality he knew. The reality that two years ago, Kanade had died right before his eyes. Yet despite being unable to deny reality, at the same time he wasn’t rejecting this fantasy. It was purely selfish desire, and he knew it.</p>
<p><em>“And that is why you remain here, trapped in your own mind. Well, it doesn’t matter. So long as you remain nice and quiet, all will remain as is.” </em>A male voice, identical to his own but with a tonnage that separated it from his. The voice rang in his mind in a cold, mocking manner, and a vague shape appeared to the side of Koto’s vision, which he spared a bitter glance at. <em>“Just remain quiet a bit longer if you would. I still have business to settle, so I need your body for a bit longer.”</em></p>
<p>Koto didn’t reply to the form as it vanished from view, the presence also leaving him. His hand slipped out of Kanade’s, and she stopped and looked at him as he stared up to the sky and sighed. He gave a casual blow off when Kanade asked what was up, a smile coming back to his face as he took her hand again. It felt too real, he didn’t want to deny the warmth he could feel as their hands joined, even if it was a false one.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Sorry, Kyomei, Tsubasa… your soft hearted senpai still isn’t ready yet… I need more time… more time to settle my heart.”</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>Kyomei was rather thankful his search for Tsubasa wasn’t a long one. She hadn’t gone that far away from the infirmary after she’d stormed out, being at the first small rest spot that were scattered through the halls of the base. She was leaning against the wall, her fist clenched so tight her knuckles had gone white, and if it were any worse she’d probably have started bleeding. Kyomei cleared his throat as he approached, though Tsubasa didn’t give any hint of acknowledging his presence.</p>
<p>“Is… is everything all right?” Of course it wasn’t. He knew it wasn’t, but he couldn’t help but say it.</p>
<p>“No! It’s not! Of course it’s not!” Tsubasa snapped, Kyomei looking to the side, Tsubasa hitting the wall harshly enough to leave a mark. “That girl has Kanade’s Relic… Gungnir was hers, and now some… some random person has it!”</p>
<p>“I… Tsubasa.” He couldn’t feel like anything else could come out. He went to move a hand out, to try and make a more physical connection, just hoping Tsubasa would turn to look at him, but his hand froze just centimeters from her shoulder. His fingers curled up as he drew his hand away and lowered his arm, wistfully staring at Tsubasa, catching a faint glimmer of tears showing on her face.</p>
<p>“Why? Why did this happen? <em>How </em>did it happen?”</p>
<p>“I can’t answer that.” Kyomei said, his hand in his pocket and rolling the Ruyi Bang’s pendant between his fingers, hoping for at least a bit of strength from it. “But, Tsubasa, it’s been two years. We’ve grieved for Kanade long enough haven’t we? Shouldn’t… shouldn’t you move on?”</p>
<p>“WHAT?!” Tsubasa snapped as she shot around, Kyomei’s expression showing he knew damn well how insesntive that statement was for Tsubasa to hear him say, but the spurt of anger led to Tsubasa not caring about the motive behind it. She was nothing but raw emotion at the time. “Move on?! And forget?!”</p>
<p>“That’s not what I meant.” Kyomei murmured, Tsubasa’s glare outright boring into him.</p>
<p>“What would Koto have said if he were here? He wouldn’t tell us to forget he’d… he’d be saying to remember Kanade, to never let her fade from our minds!” Tsubasa spoke, Kyomei’s form suddenly locking up, his eyes shadowing over and his jaw going tense. Now his own hand was balling up tightly. Tsubasa didn’t know it, but she’d actually made him angry by saying that.</p>
<p>“I know that. But, he wouldn’t have wanted us to keep sitting around and playing the woe is me game either.” Kyomei said, his tone much harsher than was typical for him. Tsubasa probably would’ve been taken about was she not so inflamed herself. “But I also don’t know, I can’t know, what Koto would even be doing right now! Bringing that up… it won’t help us. If we keep holding onto the past, we won’t get anywhere. Tsubasa, I’m worried about you… I have been for two years… but you do nothing but push me away. Please, I just want to help you!”</p>
<p>“I don’t <em>need </em>you to be worried. I don’t need you to help me.” Tsubasa grumbled, moving past Kyomei, his eyes going wide at the icy air around her. “I just need you to be ready when we need to fight… and to not butt in. That’s all you need to be for me. I’m a sword, and you’re a bow… nothing more needs to be there between us.”</p>
<p>“That’s wrong…” Kyomei hissed as Tsubasa passed him by, starting to turn as his mouth opened up, but telltale alarm of Noise being detected pulled Kyomei out of it. He let out a growl as Tsubasa ran off first. He shook his head and followed after her. The two reached the command room quickly, and Hibiki was there as well. Almost not surprisingly, Ritsudo was nowhere to be seen. Considering how he’d been earlier, it was probably best he wasn’t around this time, so Kyomei thought.</p>
<p>“Inform the 1<sup>st</sup> Unit we’ll take care of this!” Genjuuro was getting to giving orders as the display screen began locking in on the Noise signature, the commander turning to the three present Gear users. Genjurro also wasn’t surprised Ritsudo was nowhere to be seen, but at least it was likely the boy hadn’t left the HQ yet. He would manage that later.</p>
<p>“We’ve located their spawn point. We have coordinates!” Aoi shouted above the alarm, gasping when the readings came in, “Two Hundred Meters from Lydian Academy!”</p>
<p>“They’re close.” Genjuuro muttered.</p>
<p>“I’m going to meet them! Kyomei, let’s go!” Tsubasa turned and dashed out, Kyomei taking a quiet moment before following after her. Hibiki watched the two with curious eyes, but turned to leave herself.</p>
<p>“Hold it, you’re not…” Genjuuro started to cut Hibiki off, the girl turning around to him.</p>
<p>“I can help others with my powers right? Only the Symphogear is able to go against the Noise, right?” Hibiki asked, recalling what she’d been told before, “That’s why I have to go!”</p>
<p>And surprisingly to all present, the door opened again. His hood was still raised, but Ritsudo had entered with his headphones lowered. While his expression was hard to see, he stepped forward and looked at the warning on the screen, giving a sigh. His right hand was clutching Murakumo’s pendant as well.</p>
<p>“I’ll head out too.” Ritsudo said, Genjurro giving a surprised look. “Doubt I’ll be much help… but someone needs to go with her, right? I’m the only other one available… I might as well.”</p>
<p>“Ritsudo-kun!” Hibiki looked hopeful at that statement, but she froze as his gaze turned to her. She couldn’t help but do so, the dead look of his eyes felt unnatural to the girl. Both for the expected and natural reaction a person would have to seeing someone like that, but, perhaps for another reason as well… perhaps it was because Hibiki felt like it was like she was seeing what she herself could have ended up as. The two of them had both been at that concert… perhaps it wasn’t too far to think maybe, if fate had been crueler to her, Hibiki wouldn’t have been much different.</p>
<p>“Are you sure?” Genjuuro stated, Ritsudo nodding as he pocketed Murakumo.</p>
<p>“It beats sitting around doing nothing right now.” Ritsudo stated, running out to the sigh of the elder man, Hibiki following him. Ryouko gave a hum, turning as she used a hand to hide the small smile that had suddenly appeared on her face.</p>
<p>“And here I thought we wouldn’t see him for the rest of the night. Perhaps he wants to blow off some steam.” Ryouko hummed, Genjuuro sighing again. The image of the boy having done what he always did when he was anxious stuck in Genjurro’s mind… as well as his dull eyes. It was something Genjurro couldn’t leave alone. He’d long promised to find a way to help the boy, but he’d never seemed to be able to bridge the gap Ritsudo forcibly made between him and the entire world.</p>
<p>“You know his files as well as I do, Ryouko-kun.” Genjuuro stated, Ryouko chuckling.</p>
<p>“Yes, but despite that rough exterior, at heart he’s a good boy… just a little wayward is all. A lot like our two veterans.” Ryouko stated, Genjuuro letting out another breath.</p>
<p>“Yes, but Tsubasa and Kyomei have been trained since a young age as soldiers. The other two are not. Ritsudo is a boy who’s had all sorts of trouble throughout his life, and Hibiki-kun was just a normal girl with a normal life, yet one joined simply because he finds nothing better to do, and the other just to help people. A little twisted, don’t you think?” Genjuuro posed, Ryouko humming.</p>
<p>“So basically, those two are just like us. They belong to our world, but in different ways.” Ryouko stated, and one could have caught it at a glance, an odd grin showing on the scientist’s face, “Both are very interesting.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>At the wide highway street near the fields near Lydian, Tsubasa and Kyomei faced down the horde of Noise that had made its way to the area. The alarms and announcements were still blaring, and as to be expected the Noise had left a trail of chaos in their wake before the Symphogears had confronted them along their path.</p>
<p>“I count forty-seven.” Kyomei murmured, grabbing his own pendant tightly in his hands. <em>“This is odd… this makes the third Noise attack inside of a week. They’re normally far more spread out than this, so what’s going on?”</em></p>
<p>Tsubasa only nodded to Kyomei’s statement. The swarm before the two then melted down, banding together rapidly into a single, giant type Noise that towered over them both, letting out a shrieking, ear splitting roar once it was fully formed. Tsubasa whipped out her pendant as well, Kyomei raising his up, both items beginning to glow as their chants rang out.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Imyuteus Ame no Habakiri tron!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Fugite verum Gandiva tron!”</em>
</p>
<p>With flashes of light, the two were armored and brandishing their weapons, and as if solely to complicate things, more Noise showed up from the fields around the road, Kyomei and Tsubasa going back to back out of practice as Kyomei set a few arrows to his bow, taking the lead as his voice rang out in song instead.</p>
<p>
  <em>~Something bigger than a tale of fiction that nobody knows. I will write another page that does not have a name!~</em>
</p>
<p>Kyomei leapt up to one of the streetlights and fired midway through the jump, the arrows he fired arcing through the air and blasting through a few Noise, Tsubasa cutting others away as they leapt at her. She was clearly aiming to get to the large Noise as quickly as she could, so from his new perch, Kyomei separated his bow, the two halves expanding outwards and turning into crossbows. He slammed the morphing quivers from the back of his waist and into the slots that opened on the weapons, jumping again as he started firing the weapons at the smaller Noise while rushing to join up with Tsubasa.</p>
<p>
  <em>~I looked above to see tomorrow shining with hope. Don’t know what it’s called – I’m stuck in my dull routine. That future taunts me with a life that I never have known. Try to touch it but it’s just out of my reach.~</em>
</p>
<p>Yet Tsubasa seemed almost unaware of Kyomei’s support from the back as the arcing flurry of arrows he was firing from his crossbows rained down at the Noise around her, her focus entirely on slashing away the ones that came for her and dared to get between her and her enemy. Focus as sharp as the edge of her blade, easily dodging the attack the large Noise sent her way by launching it’s feather like constructs at her, cutting them away with the blades at her legs and quick twirls in the air.</p>
<p>
  <em>~Carving out the shapes that make the wishes in our hearts! Stronger now, shout it loud, shout it proud – Fly high!~</em>
</p>
<p>As Kyomei reformed his weapon to it’s bow form and took aim while Tsubasa’s sword expanded, the crowd now thinned down just to the large Noise and a few stragglers, a yell through the air made both stop in surprise. Hibiki came sailing down with a recklessly aimed kick that rammed into the large Noise. And adding to that surprise, Ritsudo dashed out from the shadows and rapidly cleared out the stragglers of the small Noise, his sword licked in flames as he came to a stop after felling the last one, which vanished as he flicked the sword.</p>
<p>Hibiki called to Tsubasa, who growled but leapt into the air anyway. A swing of her sword, and a blue flash through the air, it cut right through the Noise with ease, and Kyomei made extra sure by loosing a charged arrow right through the split halves of the Noise as one more roar escaped it.</p>
<p>“Well that’s that.” Ritsudo huffed and sheathed his sword with a quick move, Kyomei looking at the other young man, then too Tsubasa as Hibiki ran over to her while calling her name. He couldn’t help but feel how tense the air was now, and he’d caught the frustrated grimace that had been on Tsubasa’s face earlier, a look that had abated back into cold stoicism as she stared at the rising smoke left from the finished off Noise.</p>
<p>“I know I’m still holding you back, but I’ll do my best!” Hibiki said, Tsubasa actually sparing the girl a glance. “Please fight with me!”</p>
<p>Kyomei looked between Hibiki and Tsubasa with concern in his eyes, Ritsudo cocking his head as Tsubasa kept her back turned, though Kyomei saw the rising, glum smirk on Tsubasa’s face even before she turned around to reveal it to Hibiki, Hibiki looking confused herself while Ritsudo raised an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Okay… how about we fight each other?” Tsubasa posed, Hibiki only looking more confused, flinching when Tsubasa raised her sword at her.</p>
<p>“What?! Tsubasa, what are you…” Kyomei gasped, flinching when Tsubasa shot a look at him, “Tsubasa… no, no! Stop right now, you’re not going to do that!”</p>
<p>“Wait, she’s serious?” Ritsudo muttered, actually taken aback by that. It was obvious Tsubasa didn’t like Hibiki but even he thought this was a little on the rash side.</p>
<p>“Th-that’s not what I meant! I’d like to fight alongside…”</p>
<p>“I know what you meant.” Tsubasa cut Hibiki off coldly, her gaze steeling even more. It was obvious what Tsubasa wanted, but a well-meaning person like Hibiki obviously wouldn’t catch onto that. It didn’t have to be, but Tsubasa was making this one personal for her own reasons. Reasons Kyomei wanted to call out.</p>
<p>“So, what are you doing?” Hibiki asked, Tsubasa clicking her tongue.</p>
<p>“I just want to fight you.” Tsubasa stated, Hibiki’s eyes widening, Kyomei looking away, “I cannot accept you. Join forces with you? Fight alongside you? I cannot accept your existence, Kazanari Tsubasa would never allow herself to fight alongside you. Ready your Armed Gear, too. That will mean you're prepared to fight. If you insist on wearing the Gungnir Symphogear, the mighty spear that pierces through anything, then ready yourself!”</p>
<p>“Holy shit she <em>is </em>serious.” Ritsudo muttered, Kyomei letting out a long, frustrated breath, stepping between the girls and spreading his arms out. His gaze was set and just as angry as it was pleading. He wanted this to stop before it got worse, and he’d put himself in the center if that’s what it took to do it.</p>
<p>“Tsubasa stop this! There’s no point in fighting each other!” Kyomei objected, Tsubasa angling her sword, her gaze still cold as she gestured for him to move with a twitch of his blade.</p>
<p>“Move aside Kyomei… the armed gear represents your will to fight on the battlefield. Tachibana Hibiki, if you want to claim Gungnir as your Symphogear, you should come to terms with what that will entail!” Tsubasa snapped, Kyomei standing firm in place as Hibiki’s look of confusion only broadened.</p>
<p>“Hey now, that’s not cool.” Ritsudo muttered, “She <em>just </em>learned about her powers, give her a break. I know it’s rich coming from me, but lay off will ya?”</p>
<p>“Says the one who only fights when it’s convenient for him. You have the same duty as me and Kyomei, and yet you do nothing but lay around and act the dissident. It’s an insult to that sword you wield that you behave in such a way. It’s shameful!” Tsubasa bit, Ritsudo gleaning a snarl of annoyance at the comment, Kyomei’s teeth grinding against each other as a hissing breath escaped.</p>
<p>“You know what, I might join in on this.” Ritsudo hissed, grabbing the hilt of Murakumo as he snarled at Tsubasa, clearly incensed himself by her remark.</p>
<p>“W-What do you mean “come to terms?” I don’t even know what this “armed gear” thing is.” Hibiki stated, only confirming Ritsudo’s statement, “How can I come to terms with something I know nothing about?”</p>
<p>Tsubasa lowered her blade and turned around, Kyomei letting out a relieved breath as it <em>seemed </em>the girl was backing down, but the words she spoke as she walked away proved otherwise. Kyomei felt his heart sink a bit as she spoke more as well. He hated the feeling that there wasn’t anything he could do to stop all of this without also getting violent, the last thing he wanted to do.</p>
<p>“You have no determination. You treat this like a silly little game. Kanade… how <em>dare </em>you try to take Kanade’s place?!” Tsubasa snapped, Hibiki gasping, Kyomei’s look grown tense, a growl escaping as Tsubasa leapt into the air.</p>
<p>“Tsubasa! Stop this dammit!” Kyomei snapped, taking aim himself in the event he needed to, knowing what was coming next, but the wheels were already turning as Tsubasa’s voice rang out in song again.</p>
<p>Tsubasa threw her sword downwards towards Hibiki, the simple katana changing into a <em>massive </em>blade within seconds, Tsubasa slamming a foot to it’s base to push it along, Ritsudo moving to push Hibiki out of the way on an impulsive reaction, Kyomei growling as the arrow he had knocked charged, ready to fire it to stop Tsubasa’s attack… but his hand froze before he could release it, starting to slack as his arms sank. He didn’t want to do this, not one bit, he <em>couldn’t </em>do it.</p>
<p>“ORAAA!” A loud roar sounded as Genjuuro appeared right out of nowhere, throwing a fist forward and stopping Tsubasa’s attack dead by sheer force <em>alone, </em>knocking Tsubasa off balance, much to her shock. Genjuuro let out another roar as the street below him <em>caved </em>into a crater and the resounding shock wave wrecked a good portion of the road, Tsubasa landing on her back, Kyomei, Ritsudo, and Hibiki getting up from having been toppled over themselves.</p>
<p>“That was cool.” Ritsudo said, being the quickest one to recover despite their Gears all having been knocked to inactive state. And now the ground, and all of them, were getting soaked when a pipe ruptured and began spewing water everywhere, Genjuuro only shaking his wrist as he put the other hand on his hip, not even looking <em>harmed </em>from what he’d just done. One had to question just how easy things would be if this man could actually use a Symphogear of his own.</p>
<p>“Now look at this mess.” Genjuuro muttered, “What were you thinking? I paid a lot for these shoes.”</p>
<p>Hibiki and Ritsudo looked down, both teens’ eyes widening to see that Genjuuro’s shoes weren’t even fit to be called <em>shoes </em>anymore. Kyomei didn’t even seemed focused on things at the moment, just staring at Tsubasa and having a look filled with a deal of self-loathing to it.</p>
<p>“Whoa.” Ritsudo muttered, expression the shock both he and Hibiki were feeling.</p>
<p>“How many movie stunts do you think you can borrow from? This isn’t like you, Tsubasa. Not listening to Kyomei, is one thing… and did you even try to hit her seriously?” Genjuuro asked, approaching Tsubasa as the girl only stared at the ground, Kyomei approaching as well, both veteran Tuner and commander gaining their own wide-eyed looks when they saw past the downturned face, “Are you cry-”</p>
<p>“I’m not crying!” Tsubasa snapped back immediately, though even with the pouring water it was clear as day some of the fluid on her face was also tears, “I never shed tears. Kazanari Tsubasa is a sword forged only for battle. I’m…”</p>
<p>“Tsubasa…” Kyomei murmured, sighing and reaching a hand out to her. “Please, don’t say that about yourself. You’re no different than me or anyone else. You don’t… you don’t have to keep closing yourself off… you don’t have to deny yourself all the time.”</p>
<p>“That’s not something I can afford.” Tsubasa knocked Kyomei’s hand aside and stood up, Kyomei looking to the side. “A sword isn’t allowed to make their own happiness. It’s my duty to be the stalwart guardian of the people… I don’t have room for those things.”</p>
<p>“You sound like <em>him.” </em>Kyomei’s voice was a downright growl as Tsubasa said that, words that dredged up memories of a person Kyomei knew very little of but most definitely knew the feeling he had towards that man was little more than raw “hate”. No other word described that emotion he felt when he thought of the person Tsubasa’s harsh statement made him think of. It hurt Kyomei to see Tsubasa look at him with a blend of shock and horror in her eyes, but he wasn’t going to retract that statement.</p>
<p>And what didn’t help, was what Hibiki said next as Tsubasa was about to speak, no doubt to yell at Kyomei for what he’d just said.</p>
<p>“I understand that I'm no good at all. But I'll do my best from now on, and...  I'll take Kanade's place!” Hibiki stated, her zeal getting in the way of understanding what came out of her mouth.</p>
<p>Tsubasa then shot forward with a glare on her face, though as her hand moved forward to slap Hibiki, her wrist was caught by Kyomei, who’s grip was tight even when she tried to wrench herself free. His expression was a sad one, clearly put out by what was happening. His eyes simply conveyed he wanted this to stop. Tsubasa looked at him with wide eyes, but then looked away when she saw his expression. She couldn’t face him looking like that. Hibiki’s eyes then went wide as she saw what Genjuuro and Kyomei had, that Tsubasa indeed had tears on her face.</p>
<p>“Hibiki-san, please, watch the things you say to people.” Kyomei said, lowering his hold on Tsubasa but not letting her go. “Tsubasa, please stop… this won’t do anybody any good. I’m not gonna tell you to forget… but it’s only going to hurt you more the longer you keep refusing to move forward. Kana-no… I don’t want this. None of us here do. You haven’t lost everybody.”</p>
<p>Tsubasa wrenched her hand free and stalked off, Kyomei giving a wistful look as she left… there wasn’t any hiding the tears now in her eyes as she left, all of that clear to see for all of them there. Ritsudo had been quietly watching the scene the entire time, and he gave a faint sigh as he looked between Kyomei and Tsubasa.</p>
<p><em>“What was even the point? Doesn’t look like he accomplished a thing to me.” </em>Ritsudo thought, glancing at Hibiki, feeling bothered as she looked at him, even more when she smiled at him. <em>“What’s with her? She has the same vibe Kagami does… someone who’s going to be annoying.”</em></p>
<p><em>“Or maybe the vibe of somebody who actually thinks it’s worth trying to get through to your stubborn ass.” </em>That voice sounding in his head made Ritsudo flinch again, and he gave a grumble. <em>“At least try, will ya kid?”</em></p>
<p><em>“Shut up.” </em>Ritsudo grumbled again, feeling a lot better when the presence in his mind faded. He didn’t like that one bit… hell it had been <em>that </em>which had been the reason he was even here. It just wouldn’t leave him alone after he’d run off and basically prodded him into going to the command room rather than stowing away for the rest of the night. “What a drag…”</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Something’s happening out there again, I can just tell.”</p>
<p>Wataru gave a sigh as he looked out of the window at the dorm lounge. Sure it was past curfew but he just couldn’t get to sleep at the time, so he figured getting something from down there would help his nerves a bit and get to bed easier, so why not a bit of tea to help do the trick? For the most part it was because that alert had happened again, though the campus was in a safe area so they hadn’t had to go and retreat into the bunker underneath the school.</p>
<p>Either way it left questions in the boys mind. This being the third Noise incident in a week, it was odd as hell. It almost made him think there was just something he didn’t know about in full.</p>
<p>“And for some reason I can’t shake the feeling that for some reason, Ritsudo and Aikawa-senpai are involved in it.” Wataru chuckled a bit as the thought came to mind. “Let’s see… if I were to imitate Subaru, he’d probably say “Hmhm, this is something right out of an anime! The mysterious senpai and the troublesome classmate! Definitely an anime plot!”… or something like that. Pfffhehehe.”</p>
<p>And in what Wataru would call a pleasant surprise, despite the hour someone else wound up showing up. A girl he assumed may have been a first year since he knew just about everybody in the first and third year student body, her black hair tied up with a bow with bits of it hovering around dark green eyes. Wataru took particular note of that since he shared that trait. He also thought the girl looked rather cute in how surprised she was too see someone else up, and Wataru being how he was, gave a friendly wave to her.</p>
<p>“Evening… or night? Hmm it would be that time I guess.” Wataru hummed, smiling as the girl seemed uneasy. “Hey come one I won’t bite! See, perfectly fine and harmless!”</p>
<p>“Ah, no… I’m sorry, I just didn’t think anyone would be up right now.” The girl took a quick bow, Wataru putting a hand up.</p>
<p>“It’s totally fine. I was expecting to be alone too. Come on, you might as well sit down. Besides tea is always better if you share it with someone. I’m Kagami Wataru, second year. And you?”</p>
<p>“Kohinata Miku, I’m a first year.” The girl seemed relaxed after Wataru’s warm welcome, and nodded her thanks as he poured her a cup of tea. After downing a bit, she let out a surprised hum. “This is good! I didn’t know we had this kind here.”</p>
<p>“I actually brought it myself. My granddad’s what you’d call an old tea connoisseur, so he’s always sends me tea leaves he’s liked. Got my sorry butt kinda hooked on some.” Wataru chuckled as he rubbed his finger over the edge of his own cup. “So, what brings you down to his lonely little abode at night, Kohinata-san?”</p>
<p>“Just… passing time I suppose.” Miku replied, holding the teacup in both hands. “My friend is out late again, so I’m a little worried. I know she’ll be fine, she probably just got lost helping someone out again like she always does. But when it’s this late, well… you know.”</p>
<p>“Totally understandable. But at least your friend sounds like a good person if she’d spend so long out just to help someone.”</p>
<p>“She really is. Just, well, a bit silly at times. But she always means well.” Miku said, Wataru noting the way her face lit up. That made it obvious she and her friend were definitely close to each other in a good way. “But sometimes I worry she’ll never take a moment to think about herself.”</p>
<p>“Well I guess some people are like that. In a way maybe it can’t be helped.” Wataru said, spinning a finger in the air, Miku giving a chuckle. “But, as long as it turns out alright then it’s fine, isn’t it? Besides my friends tell me stuff like that all the time, cause I’m the guy who can befriend anybody! Or at least… I try. There’s been a troublesome case since last year. I just can’t get through to him… no, it’s more like he doesn’t want to let people in.”</p>
<p>“Who would that be?”</p>
<p>“A classmate of mine. He tends to be out late too. Something is weighing on him, I know that much… but I don’t really know much about that.” Wataru gave a hum, but he didn’t at all appear dissuaded.</p>
<p>“Well, just keep trying! If you really think you can get through to him then you just have to keep trying.” Miku surprised Wataru with that, though for him it was in a way surprise at hearing someone with a similar mindset to him. “And if they’re lonely, well… it’s just not good to leave someone alone.”</p>
<p>“Exactly!” Wataru then leaned forward, his face beaming. How could he not? He’d found a comrade in arms! “That’s exactly what I think about all of it! Seeing someone be lonely is the worst, it just makes me want to help them out. I’m glad someone else gets it!”</p>
<p>“I get the feeling you’re a bit infamous, Kagami-senpai.” Miku let out a giggle as Wataru gave a thumbs up, not at all denying that claim. Because he was. “But I think it’s nice. I wish you luck with that classmate of yours.”</p>
<p>“Hehe, thank you. And hey, if you wanna talk again like this, I’m totally open. And you can just call me Wataru if you like, I’m not really all for honorifics like that.”</p>
<p>“N-No, I couldn’t. It wouldn’t be polite.”</p>
<p>“I insist. If it’ll make it easier, <em>ahem, </em>then why don’t we be friends too?” Wataru put a hand out, Miku staring in surprise. “Friends call each other by their first names regardless of age, so if we’re friends, it wouldn’t be impolite, would it?”</p>
<p>“Hmhm, you’re a little strange.” Miku took the offered hand anyway, the two giving a firm shake. “But, alright. Nice to meet you, Wataru!”</p>
<p>It was almost ironic. At around this same time a tense set of relationships had formed at the exact same time these two bright people decided to become friends. It was like a mirror had been shown on things, but also made clear a separation in the world… where there were people like Wataru and Miku who could so easily get along, you also had events like Kyomei and Tsubasa, old friends who’s relationship turned sour with no clear way to fix things at the present. What a world we human beings live in.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Discord</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“WAAAAHHH!”</p>
<p>“Quit running and actually fight them dammit!”</p>
<p>“I’m trying but they all keep coming towards me!”</p>
<p>Hibiki dove to the side of the road as a bunch of Noise lunged for her, but they were swiftly cut down as Ritsudo dashed by with lightning arcing from his sword as he did. His expression under the hood of his Gear’s cloak was clearly annoyed. This entire routine, Hibiki running from attacking Noise and him having to swoop in, had been keeping up for weeks now and he was getting a bit fed up with it.</p>
<p>Ritsudo certainly couldn’t profess to being the most skilled of sword users, but Hibiki’s fighting skills pretty much didn’t exist. At best she hit the Noise she could with clumsily thrown punches and kicks. At least Ritsudo could say he knew what he was doing and could rely on his Gear’s innate abilities to compensate. Hibiki didn’t even have a weapon to use.</p>
<p><em>“Tch… and we got partnered cause we’re the only other ones available.” </em>Ritsudo sighed as he gave the thought, twirling his sword around and jabbing it through a Noise that came at him from behind. The group was about thinned out by now, there was only a few left to deal with. And while she was panicking about it, Hibiki managed to swing through a few that seemed to be the last remaining ones, and looked to Ritsudo with an awkward but proud grin. He just sighed as he was about to sheathe his sword, but then caught something. “Dammit check behind you!”</p>
<p>“Eh?”</p>
<p>As Hibiki turned, a remaining pair of Noise lunged for her almost too close for her to react. In the same instant, Ritsudo appeared between them, the two Noise slamming into his raised left arm. Ritsudo growled as pain shot up his arm from the blow, saved from a potentially more severe injury to this armor. With another hiss, parts of the gauntlet suddenly shifted and shot out, blades sprouting from them and slashing the Noise as he whipped his arm around. The blades locked back down as Ritsudo finished the motion, grumbling at the dull feeling in his arm now.</p>
<p>“T-Thanks.” Hibiki said, her eyes going wide as, after Ritsudo dismissed his gear, she saw blood dripping down his arm. “Your hurt!”</p>
<p>“It’s fine. Be more worried about yourself.” Ritsudo muttered, turning on his heel, not showing anything on his face even as he cradled his arm. Hibiki returned to normal and stared as Ritsudo left, giving a deep sigh of her own. It had been a month since he joined the 2<sup>nd</sup> Unit and been partnered with Ritsudo… and she was feeling almost entirely useless now to boot.</p>
<p>“I think I’m cursed.” She said, hanging her head.</p>
<hr/>
<p>And the effects of this new lifestyle were certainly prevalent for Hibiki in her typical life. She was dozing at the table in her dorm even though she was <em>supposed </em>to be writing a report to avoid tests that would leave her too busy for any free time. Rather conveniently, or maybe ironically, the report she had to write was about the Noise.</p>
<p>And right across from Hibiki, giving a bit of a sigh at her friend’s dozing off, Miku lowered the top of her laptop a bit. This kind of drowsiness had been setting in for Hibiki for a bit now, though what troubled Miku a bit was that she could also tell something was certainly bothering Hibiki, especially now. She just seemed put out about something.</p>
<p>“Hibiki, if you doze off you won’t hit the deadline.” Miku said, Hibiki managing to wrest herself back to something resembling actual consciousness. “If you hand in that report on time you won’t have to retake the exam.” At that, Hibiki tore off the page she’d already ruined in her drowsy state and placed her head on the table. “I’m telling you, don’t fall asleep!”</p>
<p>“I’m not sleeping. I’m wide awake. I’m just taking a break.” Hibiki murmured, but she sounded about ready to just conk out.</p>
<p>“You’ve been tired a lot lately.”</p>
<p>“I’m okay… it’s fine.”</p>
<p>“It doesn’t seem like it is.”</p>
<p>Hibiki sighed herself as he eyes cracked open. She found herself thinking both to a month ago at the near fight that broke out. She had the image stuck in her head of Tsubasa’s tears, that despite the older girl’s objections she <em>had </em>been crying. It was obvious whatever it was, and all Hibiki knew was that it had to do with Kanade, Tsubasa was still in pain over it. Further, there was also Ritsudo, who now she knew to be the other survivor of that incident two years ago. How many other people had been hurt because of it? Tsubasa, Kyomei, Ritsudo, everybody who’d lost loved ones there… thinking about it made Hibiki’s chest tighten up in a way she didn’t like.</p>
<p>The thoughts were cut through when her phone started ringing. Hibiki sighed as she looked at the ringing alarm. She’d set it because there was a scheduled meeting with the 2<sup>nd</sup> Unit today. Hibiki tilted her head as she groaned.</p>
<p>“What is it now?” Miku asked, Hibiki chuckling. “Don’t tell me you set your alarm for PM instead of AM on accident.”</p>
<p>“Uh, no.” Hibiki had a hand behind her head. She still felt awkward about the fact she couldn’t tell Miku about any of this. It caused her a load of mental trouble, but if it was keeping her friend safe, it was all the better then, right?</p>
<p>“What kind of things need doing this late?” Miku leaned on a hand while Hibiki just awkwardly chuckled. “I guess I can cover for you during your night-time trips during curfew hours.”</p>
<p>“Thanks!”</p>
<p>“Do me a favor in return though.” Miku turned her computer around, showing what she’d been looking at the entire time: Videos of shooting stars. “Remember, we promised each other to go look at shooting stars one day? That’s out the window if you’re swamped with reports.”</p>
<p>“I’ll take care of it! But right now I really need to… sorry!” Hibiki stood up and started moving to get changed, Miku sighing. When Hibiki got stuck trying to pull the sweater she was wearing up, Miku went over to start helping her with it. “I’m just hopeless, right? If you don’t put in effort, of course you crash and burn. It’s not going to get better either.”</p>
<p>“Well… if you just keep on trying.” Miku said, Hibiki giving a hum. Miku almost couldn’t help but think a bit about Wataru saying that. They’d started to hang out a bit after they met a month ago, heck now their two friend groups had basically merged together. Amusingly their other friends were like peas in a pod in terms of personalities, so it was easy for the group of upper and under classmen to get along.</p>
<p>Miku did have to wonder about something as well. She’d now seen for herself Wataru’s attempts at getting along with the ever cold Ritsudo. She was actually somewhat impressed by her elder’s persistence at trying to get the other boy to warm up… and there’d also been a few times Ritsudo had also shown up to get Hibiki for something. Hibiki said it was part of her new extracurricular stuff, but, Miku had to wonder… and worry.</p>
<p>At the least, things seemed fine, for now.</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Owowow! Do you have to use that?!”</p>
<p>“Your arm <em>was </em>cut in a few places. Honestly you need to take better care of yourself.”</p>
<p>“I’m fine.”</p>
<p>Ritsudo yelped again as Ryouko got back at his snippiness by applying another dose of that stinging salve to where his arm had been injured in the previous fight before getting to wrapping it up. They were all in the command room waiting for Hibiki to show up. Tsubasa was quiet as ever, while Kyomei was passing the time by reading through one of a few books he had stacked next to him. Ritsudo could see the covers, and was a bit wowed that Kyomei was the type to read things by the likes of Osamu Dazai and Ryunosuke Akutagawa. It was quite the taste in literature, that was for sure.</p>
<p>And then the doors finally flew open, Hibiki rushing in while apologizing for being late. She looked awkward and downtrodden for a second once she saw Ritsudo’s wrapped up arm, though he paid her no mind as he pulled his blazer back on. He’d already been chewed out for not coming back in as soon as he could to get it looked at, and he didn’t want to hear anything else about it.</p>
<p>“Now that we’re all here, let’s be friends and talk!” Ryouko said, giving a light tap to Ritsudo’s arm, earning a growl from the teenager as he pulled away from her. On cue with it, the screen then changed. It showed a map of the city, and along with it a lot of circular zones. All of them were the areas where Noise attacks had occurred over the past month, fourteen in total with a few more not shown on this particular part of the map, and not only were they rather densely gathered, but the number along made the image almost disconcerting. Oddly enough, Lydian Academy was a near center for the cluster, with three sections alone within near direct proximity of the campus.</p>
<p>“Your thoughts?” Genjurro asked, Hibiki humming as the question was clearly for her.</p>
<p>“There’s lots of them!” That ever so blunt comment from the girl earned a laugh from Genjurro, and Kyomei chuckled behind his book as he shut it.</p>
<p>“You got that right.” Genjurro turned back to the screen and put a hand on his chin. He was certainly as intrigued by this as the others, though had a rough idea as to why this was the case. “All of these spots were sites for Noise outbreaks this past month. How much do you know about the Noise, Hibiki-kun?”</p>
<p>“Just what they tell us on the news and in school. They’re emotionless, mechanical, and only go after humans. The humans they attack turn into carbon dust. There’s no pattern or time to where and when they appear, but an occurrence happens roughly once or twice a month. They attack without any kind of discrimination. They’re also widely seen as a serious threat to mankind, because there’s no conventional way to stop them that we know of.”</p>
<p>“You’ve done your homework.” Kyomei noted, Hibiki awkwardly laughing.</p>
<p>“Well I have to write a report on them for class, so I literally have.”</p>
<p>“You were exactly spot on with all of that.” Ryouko added, patting Hibiki on the head. “It’s been thirteen years since the UN started openly discussing the Noise, but until now they haven’t done anything. However, there are countless legends from antiquity, from all over the world.”</p>
<p>“We suspect that things like demons or other monsters that appear in mythologies were Noise occurrences the people of the time attempted to explain.” Genjurro added, Hibiki nodding along. The idea made a bit of sense to the girl, even if she was far from the most well versed person on ancient mythology.</p>
<p>“Noise outbreaks are very rare. As you said they only happen one or two times within a month, sometimes even less so.” Ryouko continued. Ritsudo had nearly tuned out, by Ryouko had <em>also </em>taken his headphones so he couldn’t really do that. She was definitely determined to make sure he heard all of this. “Which also means this recent string of outbreaks is extraordinary no matter how you look at it. It’s been causing a bit of an uproar in the government because of it. Which means this should also prompt us to ask if some sentient will is behind it.”</p>
<p>“Wait, is someone responsible for this?” Hibiki asked, and that certainly got the ear of the other Symphogears. The idea someone, somehow, potentially had control over the Noise and could make them appear at their whim was definitely worth concern over.</p>
<p>“There’s also the fact Lydian Academy lies as the center point of all these attacks.” Tsubasa said, folding her arms as she looked to the screen. “Attacks are normally a lot more widespread, but these are all so clustered together. It’s not normal.”</p>
<p>“Which means someone is looking for something here.” Kyomei said, Tsubasa nodding. “Probably Sacrist D: Durandal.”</p>
<p>“What’s that?” Hibiki reasonably asked, as she had no clue what they even was. The name <em>did </em>sound vaguely familiar though. Maybe she heard it in an anime somewhere, or maybe a video game.</p>
<p>“It’s a Relic that’s almost entirely intact.” Aoi answered. “We keep it in a level below here called the Abyss. The Japanese government gave it to us for research purposes.”</p>
<p>“The fragments of Relics like the Gungnir, Ame-no-Habakiri, and Gandiva that you, Tsubasa, and Kyomei own need to be amplified and then materialized by the user as a Symphogear in order to exert whatever power they possess.” Sakuya then went to continue the explanation. Hibiki raised a brow at how he didn’t mention Ritsudo’s Murakumo, but she quickly remembered how they’d said it <em>also </em>was a nearly complete Relic. “Our research indicates however, that if a completed Relic like Durandal were to be activated, then anyone could make use of it’s power.”</p>
<p>“Wait, what about Ritsudo-kun’s Murakumo then? Isn’t it also complete?” Hibiki then voiced her thoughts, the others nodding. Ryouko looked pleased as peaches that she brought it up.</p>
<p>“Ah see, Ame-no-Murakumo is our delightful little anomaly. Ritsudo, if you would?” At the sweetly toned suggestion, Ritsudo sighed and pulled his pendant off. With a swirl of blue light, the pendant shifted into the sword, Ritsudo handing the sheathed weapon to Ryouko. “Like we said before Ame-no-Murakumo is also the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, one of Japan’s three Imperial Regalia. We <em>were </em>supposed to get it for the same reasons as Durandal, yet it ended up in the hands of Ritsudo here. While it’s a complete Relic, it’s capable of being used just like one converted into a Symphogear. And thanks to how often you two have been fighting this past month, I have much more data than I ever had, so I have to thank you for that one. All part of my Sakurai Theory!”</p>
<p>“How does that… work?” Hibiki asked, Ryouko humming as she drew the Murakumo ever so slightly, enough to make the blade visible.</p>
<p>“It’s still somewhat mysterious. We know a complete Relic exudes an incredible amount of power when active, and Ame-no-Murakumo is no exception. The real oddity is that like a Symphogear converted Relic, the only person who <em>can </em>use this sword in such a way is Ritsudo.” Ryouko handed the sword back, and it reverted to it’s pendant form. “It’s almost as if the thing as a will of its own!”</p>
<p>“Because it does.” Ritsudo said, pocketing the pendant. “I’ve said this ever since you asked me about it. The thing <em>does </em>have a mind of it’s own.”</p>
<p>“Sure sure.” Ryouko waved her hand, Ritsudo clicking his tongue at her. “As for where we were, the main problem we face with completed Relics like Durandal and Ame-no-Murakumo is that we need a large amount of Phonic Gain to activate that… at least normally. Again, our happy anomaly of a situation.”</p>
<p>“It’s a damn tsukumogami I swear!” Ritsudo said. Hibiki had a hand on her head as she tried to process all of this information.</p>
<p>“Two years have passed since then. Maybe now, with four singers together it’ll be possible.” Genjurro said, standing up and looking away from the Gear users. Tsubasa’s face went tense, and Kyomei’s expression fell a bit.</p>
<p>“Will we even get permission from the government to activate it?” Aoi said. That was certainly the question of it. With the potential power that Durandal could have, it very much was the question if they’d even be allowed to activate the thing. With how rare Relics in such a state were, it could also be an international incident if something went wrong with it.</p>
<p>“There’s a more basic problem too.” Sakuya added. “Thanks to a peace treaty, the USA is demanding we hand over the Durandal. We can’t even consider activating it right now. We have to be cautious simply handling it, or it could turn into a diplomatic affair.”</p>
<p>“Quite the way the world turns, isn’t it?” Kyomei muttered, sighing as he set his held book down on the stack. “Why would America even be involved with this? They have Relics of their own don’t they?”</p>
<p>“Yes, but none that are complete.” Genjurro said. “Reports over these past few months have also shown that there were tens of thousands of attempts to hack our systems. The simple fact is, we have data on two complete Relics and they don’t. They know they can’t get the Murakumo, so they’re going for Durandal. Though I greatly doubt they have the means to orchestrate Noise attacks. Furthermore we don’t have any proof America was behind the hacking attempts, so we can’t just declare them guilty and call it a day. I doubt we’ll see the end of this however.”</p>
<p>“Commander Kazanari.” Ogawa stepped up, Genjurro humming as he did.</p>
<p>“Ah, it’s that time already is it?”</p>
<p>“Tonight we need to address the particulars of the album.” Ogawa said, Hibiki giving a confused sound. Ogawa then also placed on a pair of thick but fake glasses. “To the public I’m the manager of Kazanari Tsubasa.”</p>
<p>And he also decided to hand Hibiki a business card. This was Ogawa’s cover job, of course.</p>
<p>“This is my first time getting a business card!” Hibiki took it with a bit of awe on her face, flipping it over a few times as she read it. “I have to keep it, thank you!”</p>
<p>Ogawa and Tsubasa left with that. Genjurro sat back down, and now it was just the down by two group.</p>
<p>“So, something is stirring up the Noise to attack us.” Hibiki murmured, a hand on her chin., solemn nods coming from the others. “It’s crazy to think someone would be sending them after us intentionally.”</p>
<p>“Never fear!” Ryouko said, giving a chuckle. “After all, this place is the stronghold of humanity, designed by the genius scientist Sakurai Ryouko, who you often see on TV and magazines! This entire structure was build around ancient technologies, so the enemy can’t even get close!”</p>
<p>“Stroke your own ego a bit more why don’t ya?” Ritsudo muttered, Ryouko chuckling at him.</p>
<p>“That reminds me of something!” Ritsudo immediately got a bad feeling when he heard that. “You two have been working together for a good month now. If you don’t mind, I want to run a test with your Relics. Could you come with me for it?”</p>
<p>“Test for what?” Hibiki asked, Ritsudo sinking low.</p>
<p>“Oh simple Hibiki-chan! I’m going to see if your Relics are Synchronization compatible!”</p>
<p>“What now?”</p>
<hr/>
<p>“So uh… you still haven’t told me what this entire thing is!”</p>
<p>Hibiki and Ritsudo were standing in a wide area of simple steel and solid walls, aside from a viewing area placed just above. Up in said area, Ryouko was working at a panel, while Genjurro and Kyomei were also watching, with Sakuya and Aoi helping Ryouko at the instruments table. Both the teenagers had their Symphogears active, though Ritsudo was seated on the ground with his eyes shut.</p>
<p>“Are they even going to be able to?” Kyomei said, Genjurro humming. “I mean, Kenzaki isn’t exactly the kind of person who’d uh… you know, seem to be able to do it.”</p>
<p>“Well we won’t know if we don’t try.” Ryouko added, Kyomei shrugging. “This is as much another test with Murakumo as anything else. Perhaps a Relic like it can overcome the normal restrictions Synchronization has.”</p>
<p>“Uh, hello!?” Hibiki called out, Ryouko then turning out the speaker.</p>
<p>“Sorry sorry, I was just getting some things in line! Now, allow me to explain. Synchronization is a special function your Gears have that can only be activated when a Tuner and Harmonic are able to match their wavelengths.” Hibiki nodded as Ryouko got to explaining things, and it definitely brought a pleased smile to Ryouko’s face. “There are some restrictions to it. For one the Relics need to be properly compatible with one another for their wavelengths to harmonize. Without that, it simply won’t kick in at all. It also partly has to do with your own thoughts towards one another, so Ritsudo, try and comply a bit with this please?”</p>
<p>“Whatever.” Ritsudo said.</p>
<p>“Good enough! Now continuing on. Relics can be compatible for a variety of reasons. Perhaps they’re types are simply able to match up, or they have a similar source as one another and can harmonize that way. For example, even though the Ame-no-Habakiri and Gandiva are from two completely different regions, they’re compatible with one another because their weapons types pair up so well. Sadly, Tsubasa’s current mindset means that she and Kyomei haven’t been able to Synchronize for quite some time now.”</p>
<p>“Way to air the dirty laundry.” Kyomei muttered.</p>
<p>“So uh… would Gungnir and Murakumo even be compatible then?” Hibiki asked. She at least knew the two Relics were not only from different regions, but also weapon types she wasn’t sure could even be compatible with one another based on that logic.</p>
<p>“Well you never know. Things are never as simple. I mean after all, the Relic your Gungnir previously Synchronized with was the Ruyi Jingu Bang, which is about as odd as the Murakumo!” Ryouko’s comment got Kyomei to palm the item still in his pocket. “And as I said, Murakumo is something of an anomaly. So we’re going to give it a go and see what happens.”</p>
<p>“Okay then… so how do we even start?” An excellent question that Hibiki posed.</p>
<p>“Just think about wanting to connect, that’s all it takes!”</p>
<p>“That doesn’t feel right. But okay then!”</p>
<p>Ritsudo just sighed as he stood up. He couldn’t help but tilt his head when Hibiki turned to him and started to stare at him intently. It was obvious just from his body language Ritsudo wasn’t even all for this. But with how it was, he had the thought he might as well comply. A faint ringing began to sound in the air… and then both teenagers gasped. It was the same feeling in both, in a way. It felt like something began to touch deep into their mind. Things began to seep in from there. It was like things could be seen, flashes, emotions.</p>
<p>And up in the booth, surprise was on the faces of those watching. The systems were showing the wavelengths of the two Relics, and indeed the patterns were starting to match up. Kyomei looked with a wistful gaze in his eyes. He hardly remembered, but he could recall what Synchronization felt like… at least for him back then. It had been warm, welcoming, like he was putting all of his trust into his partner and that trust was returned at the same time.</p>
<p>But here, that wasn’t it. Both began to feel something dark creep up in this brief link that had begun to form. Ritsudo’s right hand began to shake in a tell tale sign, his breathing getting more labored… and Hibiki started having tears in her eyes. All of a sudden, a warning blared in the booth. The wavelengths suddenly went out of tune, not matching up. And for Ritsudo and Hibiki, the link broke, both falling to the ground in a sudden wave of exhaustion. Their Gears vanished, and both were left breathing heavily.</p>
<p>“What the… what happened?! Why did it suddenly fail?!” Kyomei said, Ryouko giving a hum as she leaned on a hand.</p>
<p>“It’s a lot stronger in the two of them than I thought… looks like it was enough to prevent their Synch entirely once it got through. Hmm… it wasn’t the Murakumo however… did it react to the Gungnir? This may have to do with how different it is since it’s <em>part </em>of Hibiki.” Ryouko’s muttering was just under her breath, and she sighed. “Ahh, seems it’s the two’s own personal issues that caused the problem. Their Relics are perfectly compatible, but it’s their own minds that caused it to fail. They simply aren’t in a proper mindset to Synchronize.”</p>
<p>“What why would I not be able to?” Hibiki said, seeming rather taken aback. “That can’t… I’m perfectly…”</p>
<p>“Really?” Ritsudo muttered, Hibiki freezing. Hibiki’s hands balled up, and her expression darkened a bit. The tears on her face started to fall, and she stood up straight.</p>
<p>“I need to go… I promised I wouldn’t be out too late today.” Hibiki left in a clear hurry, and Ritsudo gave a sigh. He let out a shallow breath as he clenched his hand to stop it from shaking like it was… and then he felt that sensation in his mind again.</p>
<p><em>“That girl’s like a shrine on the verge of falling apart. Looks fine a distance but get up close, you can see how damaged it is.” </em>The voice hummed as Ritsudo stood, and he was watching as Hibiki left and hurridly bowed the others as she dashed out of the room. <em>“Makes you wonder how she keeps it up eh?”</em></p>
<p><em>“It’s not my problem to deal with.” </em>Ritsudo thought, his arm going slack. <em>“If she has them, then she should deal with them. Simple as that.”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>“Well now that’s just cold of you. But I know how you really are deep down… it’ll just take the right push.”</em>
</p>
<p><em>“Shut. Up.” </em>Ritsudo let out a breath, the presence vanishing from his mind again. He was relieved about that… he didn’t like how it acted, how it put forth those problems and basically <em>made </em>him have to think about them.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Meanwhile, Kyomei had gone and followed Hibiki out into the halls. It was a quick find, she hadn’t gone far at all. She was huddled on the couch of one of the lounge areas, and even from here, Kyomei could see that she was crying from how she wiped at her eyes with her sleeves every few seconds.</p>
<p>He of course didn’t and couldn’t know just what had brought that on. Perhaps she was remembering something painful, maybe it was something she saw during the brief time she and Ritsudo had that connection. He couldn’t know… but at least he could offer an ear to talk into about things. So to start off, he got something from the nearby vending machine, something for himself and something for Hibiki, taking the latter and holding it out to her after tapping it to her head.</p>
<p>“Here, something warm. It should help calm you down.”</p>
<p>“Ah, thanks.”</p>
<p>Hibiki took the offered drink in both hands, Kyomei sitting down as she opened it and downed a bit. A silent moment passed between the two of them, Hibiki wiping off her eyes again.</p>
<p>“So… hmm… I’m not really sure what to say right now but… is something the matter?” Kyomei just got to the point, Hibiki’s hands tightening a bit. “Look… when you Synchronize, you see things. Your minds connect to one another and things begin to seep in from there. There has to be a trust between the two involved or else it’ll fall short… and well, Kenzaki doesn’t really trust people.”</p>
<p>“It wasn’t just him.” Hibiki said, giving a sigh. “I guess I panicked too. I felt something weird come up, and part of just freaked out. It was like something I’d almost forgotten got pulled up, and I didn’t want it to come up yet. I wasn’t expecting all of that.”</p>
<p>“I won’t ask about it. This is between you and Kenzaki to talk about and find out. I can’t really help you that much in this regard.” Kyomei downed his own drink, then gave a sigh. “And it’s kinda hard to help since Tsubasa and I haven’t done that in years now… even if I’ve tried, she just doesn’t let me in anymore.”</p>
<p>“Hmm… Kyomei-san, how do you deal with other people’s own dark parts? When they… you know, do things that hurt others?” Hibiki let out a breath again, Kyomei silent as he could tell she wasn’t done talking. “When they just abandon someone even if they could help them? When that person may need others the most?”</p>
<p>“I’m not really sure how to answer that.” Kyomei replied, leaning back and staring at the ceiling. “I know I definitely want to help people when I can. It’s really weird… as much as I want to believe humans have a natural sense of good in them, it’s like all of that is overridden when things like anger or grief take hold. People sink into themselves and look for something to blame. Nobody likes a problem that doesn’t have a concrete cause or solution. So, they come up with a scapegoat, they create something to push their fears and anxieties onto, something they can actually deal with. Others just shut the world out and try to ignore it all… they’d rather shut all of their pain away than confront it, because they blame themselves, or because they hate the world that pushed them to that point.”</p>
<p>Hibiki could only give a thoughtful hum. Her thoughts turned towards Tsubasa and Ritsudo as Kyomei spoke. It felt like in a way, he was particularly citing those two when he gave examples of how some people were… Tsubasa who put up the front of an idol but shut herself away from others, claiming things like being a weapon with no need for those emotions, and Ritsudo, who held a clear disdain for people and did everything he could to stay at arms-length from others… yet all the same neither were ultimately able to run from the problems confronting them.</p>
<p>“I guess it is that way sometimes. You just gave to keep trying.”</p>
<p>“Be one percent better every day. Eventually you’ll reach one hundred.” Kyomei’s line got a raise from a brow of Hibiki, Kyomei chuckling. “My senpai used to tell me that all the time. He said so long as you do that, you’ll always be working to be better than you were before, even if only be a bit. So, that’s what I try to do… admittedly not always successful.”</p>
<p>“Try to be one percent better each day.” Hibiki hummed, a smile coming back to her face as she nodded. “Yeah, I like that idea!”</p>
<p>“Glad I could be a bit of help. I’m not the best at this, but if you wanna talk more, then I’m free. I am your senpai after all.”</p>
<p>“Yeah! And uh… Kyomei-san, please don’t give up on Tsubasa-san!” Hibiki shot up and gave a bow, Kyomei blinking as a surprised gasp escaped his throat as Hibiki rose back up. “I believe you can do it. Something tells me you can get through to her. I just feel like you can. I mean, doesn’t Tsubasa-san try her best to keep Noise away from you when you fight?”</p>
<p>“Well I mean we support each other in fights. It’s sort of part of being partners.” Kyomei said, but Hibiki’s suddenly stern gaze said something else to it. “I mean… hmmmm… I just know she always says things like “a weapon doesn’t deserve that kind of happiness”… and it always gets on my nerves.”</p>
<p>What confused Kyomei was the sudden way Hibiki’s eyes lit up… what was she thinking after hearing that?</p>
<p>“That definitely means more!” Hibiki was about bouncing by now, Kyomei raising a brow… and then Hibiki put her hands on his shoudlers. “Kyomei-san, like I said, you can’t give up on Tsubasa-san! You have to break through, I know it’ll work if she thinks like that!”</p>
<p>“What does that have to do with anything?!” Kyomei yelped, giving a long sigh. “I don’t get it!”</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <em>~I’ll be someone for you alone, even though it might sound like a quoted line, I’d been running recklessly down a pitch-black road. I want to hold you so much that you break, and yet why is it my tears flow? I still don’t understand anything.~</em>
</p>
<p>The mysterious singer sighed as he concluded, the dark night sky hiding his features from view as he looked out over the city, only brief light illuminating slight waves of ashen hair and darkly tanned skin, but his features hidden by shadow. A mask sat in one hand, and he placed it on as he gave a hum.</p>
<p>“His heart bears such a mournful song… yet for now it’s what allows me to keep control of this body.” The individual gave a huff, his voice gaining a slight waver due to the mask. “Finé has it somewhat lucky… hers was far more easily swayed. Whatever… all I need is enough time to see this through to the end.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Burning Hearts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was two years ago, not long before the concert that became a fated day of crossed fates. It was the day Ritsudo’s fate changed forever. It had been a day as ordinary as ever by his concern. He and his class had been out of town for a while due to a school trip to Kyoto, and due to railway delays had taken a bus ride home. It was as simple as it could have been, all the students chatting about the trip, some just sleeping the ride away, so on and so forth what have one.</p>
<p>But something about this day had been different. Not that far out from the city, traffic had come to a sudden halt. Apparently the news was some big accident further up the road had caused traffic to be halted for a time. Cue the lamentations about how down on their luck the students were today when it came to travel. Buzz also was going about towards just what was going on to cause this kind of delay.</p>
<p>Because of how long it was taking, the various cars and busses opened up so people could get out and stretch their legs. So the students took to sitting around or looking out to the city just some ways off. Ritsudo was particularly curious about things, though because they couldn’t move that far he didn’t have much of a way to try and see what was further up… and that was when he heard it.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Well well… somebody who’s soul rings with a song… perhaps… yes. I think you will do just fine.”</em>
</p>
<p>He turned to see who could have spoken, and someone then called out to Ritsudo after he saw a glint in the air. He then noticed a sudden degree of pain coming from his chest, and his shirt started staining red. Yet it was oddly painless, though he could feel the heat spreading from it… and sticking out of his chest from the warmest point, was something odd… a small object, shaped like some kind of sword and attached to a chain.</p>
<p>There was also a faint ringing in the air, and it was the last thing he heard as he fell backwards, his consciousness fading to black in an instant as that rhythmic ringing filled his mind. He hadn’t been out for long, and it had been his two friends who’d managed to stir him awake. He assured them that he was fine, he didn’t even feel any pain, though his chest had been wrapped up. Their teacher showed him the item, saying it was the thing that did the wound… and something inside him, some kind of impulse, told Ritsudo to take it.</p>
<p>“It’s not a big deal. I’ll hold onto it. Maybe whoever owns it will come looking for it. If not… well at least it’s safe.”</p>
<p>He’d find out just exactly what that mysterious pendant was months later, after that concert had passed… after the world turned on him, after he’d come to decide it wasn’t worth saving.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Ritsudo, phasing back to normal consciousness after having slipped into remembering <em>that </em>event, let out a groan as the scanning stretcher he was on slid back out of the machine, Ryouko at the other end of the room behind the panels and scanning her eyes. The woman had called Ritsudo down that particular day during lunch break, wanting to do some scans to check the condition of Ritsudo’s body now that he was using Murakumo far more often than previously before.</p>
<p>“Hmm… I’m almost surprised. Despite the fact your body is under the strain induced by a full Relic whenever used, there’s very little in the way of adverse effects that isn’t simply fatigue. Then again Ame-no-Murakumo <em>is </em>our happy little anomaly.” Ryouko’s eyes scanned all around the two images in front of her, one the scan of Ritsudo and the other the now much more filled out data on the Murakumo. Of one note was the “Resonance Coefficient”, which in terms of Symphogears meant the total compatibility between a Relic and the user. A low number meant while a Relic could be used it would require a certain… additional item to be used to get it to a stable level for unharmful use. Ritsudo’s numbers were at a safe level obviously enough, he wouldn’t be able to so easily use Murakumo if they weren’t.</p>
<p>But Ryuoko found the numbers… off. Stable yes, but lower than she expected them to be due to the Murakumo’s nature. It was true Ritsudo’s power with the Relic was strong, but when Ryouko took into account the differences in completion and a few other variables related to the states of the Relics collectively, Ritsudo was no more stronger than the veteran pair despite the fact by all means his Relic allowed for much higher output variables even on its own.</p>
<p>And then there was the oddity of his failed Synchronization with Hibiki. Ryouko had kept quiet about but the reason the Synchronize had failed, while true part of it had to do with the mindset of the pair after their minds had connected during it, it was as much the fault of the Murakumo itself the Synchronize had failed.</p>
<p>“A Relic that can alter is Aufwachen Waveform as it pleases… perhaps his claims it has a will of its own aren’t so far off.” Ryouko chuckled to herself, seeming pleased with the data as she clapped her hands. “Alright Ritsudo-kun, you’re free to head back up. You’re perfectly spick and span, not an issue at all!”</p>
<p>“Like I said when you asked.” Ritsudo said, and as he was about to loop Murakumo’s pendant back round his neck, instead he went and wrapped the unhooked chain around his left forearm, hooking the chain once it was secured, though loose enough not to cause discomfort. He found this idea easier than having to take the thing off whenever he wanted to draw the weapon. “You sure there’s nothing you’re keeping to yourself to mess with me?”</p>
<p>“None at all, honest to my honor as a scientist. It’s actually quite impressive you have the ability to safely handle a full Relic without issue like this. You and Hibiki-chan are something special in two different ways! And oh do I love it.”</p>
<p>“Whatever.” Ritsudo threw his blazer back on and left as he put his headphones on, Ryouko waving as he left, though she turned back to the screen and gave a hum.</p>
<p>“I cannot help but wonder though… if these numbers drove up too quickly, just what would happen to him? Nothing bad I hope, but the issue of course is even if I did develop the Symphogears I can hardly say I know everything about their functions. Ah, so vexing! But, that’s what research is for!”</p>
<p>And so with gusto, Ryouko got right back into analyzing all the data before her as she also pulled up her research files on Hibiki. She’d been watching the two closely ever since they’d been set to work together, and her interest in the results they had were keen. The boy with the complete Relic and the girl who had one embedded into her body. How could she not desire to see what the results they would bring about could be?</p>
<hr/>
<p>And gusto was certainly a word that could be applied elsewhere at about the same time. For that was exactly what Hibiki was going at the rest of her soon to be due report with, furiously writing at the paper as the now quite expanded group sat around eating lunch. Of said group among the younger girls that were not Hibiki and Miku were the effective parallels to Wataru’s friends: Yumi Itaba, short with pigtails and a love for anime effectively on par with Subaru. Kuriyo Andou, the most level headed of her bunch and with a penchant for nicknames, typically as exasperated as Rei with her friends. And lastly Shiori Terashima, a calm girl who gave off a bit of a refined air, and as the past month had proved someone who could <em>easily </em>handle Mitsuki and his… typical attitude.</p>
<p>“Mankind is cursed!” Hibiki gave a shout as she kept working, then giving a firm hum. “At least I am, for sure!”</p>
<p>Hibiki got bits of food give to her by Yumi and Kuriyo so she could keep her hands at work on the paper, while her enthusiasm got a laugh out of the boys. Miku, to no surprise, had the look of a concerned mother.</p>
<p>“You don’t have time to mess around.” Miku said, Wataru giving a casual wave.</p>
<p>“Ah come on Miku-san, a bit of time to relax during work is fine.” Wataru said, getting chop sticks pointed at him.</p>
<p>“You’re no better Wataru-kun! Here I thought you were a reliable senpai but then it turns out you’re the worst in the bunch!” As Miku spoke Wataru felt like arrows shot into him, ones labeled with “unreliable” and “carefree student”, to which he promptly flopped onto the grass.</p>
<p>“Ouch…” Wataru muttered, Miku shaking her head. “My grades aren’t that bad!”</p>
<p>“No, you’re just bad at turning things in on time is all.” Mitsuki pointed out, Wataru feeling another sting thrown at him with that one. He could only mock sob in mock anguish at the targeted assault thrown his way. But even then there was no removing the smile from his face even as he did, mostly because he was laughing too. “But it <em>is </em>better then Kenzaki, who doesn’t even bother to do our assignments most of the time.”</p>
<p>“Is that the guy Wata-senpai is always trying to befriend?” Kuriyo asked, Rei nodding. “I’ve seen him around our class a few times. Bikki, it’s always to get you for something, what’s with that?”</p>
<p>“It’s just for a thing we do after school. And it’s not just us, Aikawa… uh, Kyomei-senpai is there too.” Hibiki said, going back to writing as Miku gave her a look. Yumi on the other hand pretty much had the same reaction to hearing Kyomei’s name Subaru had when Wataru brought him up.</p>
<p>“Wait wait, you mean the senpai who everyone says knows Kazanari?!” Yumi shouted, Subaru nodding. “That’s just wild… what is this an anime?”</p>
<p>“It surely seems like the plot of one! The senior from a political family, the other one with a mysterious past, and a supposed connection to the school’s resident idol singer, all centered on an ordinary girl! Quite the plot that’s for sure.” Subaru commented, adjusting his glasses as they glinted. “Speaking of anime, Itaba, what did you think of the latest episodes last night ehh?”</p>
<p>“Ah let’s talk about Yaiba’s new episode! Did you see that ending?!”</p>
<p>“Of course I did! Hehehe, that animation was top notch!”</p>
<p>“And there they go.” Shiori chuckled as the resident otaku started yammering on in utter inanity, Miku shaking her head with an amused chuckle.</p>
<p>“Let’s not get too distracted. Your deadline is this afternoon.” Miku pointed out, Hibiki nodding.</p>
<p>“I’m going at my limit as we speak!” Hibiki said, between a mouthful of more food.</p>
<p>“Well not like you’re actually gonna get much done now. This isn’t an anime.” Yumi said, all of them aside from Wataru and Miku standing up, to Hibiki’s visible shock.</p>
<p>“I thought you were all going to help me!” Complained the working girl. She liked this big group that was now present but perhaps it also would be as much of a distraction as a welcome motivator to all of it.</p>
<p>“We shouldn’t get in the way of your essay more than we have.” Shiori said, patting her skirt down. “What do you say to playing badminton on the rooftop?”</p>
<p>“Are we not gonna question why a court for that and volleyball is on the roof?” Rei said, a hand to his nose.</p>
<p>“Come on now Reiichi, it’ll be fun!” Kuriyo pat Rei on the shoulder, the older boy just sighing.</p>
<p>“I think it’s a great idea! There’s enough of us for three-on-three in whatever we choose to do.” Mitsuki flicked his bangs in that typical habit as he chuckled. “What about you, Wataru, Kohinata?”</p>
<p>“I’ll stay with Hibiki. I promised I’d help her with the report.” Miku’s answer got Hibiki to give a grateful noise of joy, Yumi chuckling as she knelt down.</p>
<p>“You’re so lucky to have her.” Yumi teased, Hibiki just chuckling obliviously.</p>
<p>“And I wouldn’t wanna unbalance anything. Besides I’ve been researching Noise as of late, so I can help out too.” Wataru chuckled confidently as he folded his arms, his three friends just giving him flat stares. They had no confidence in that statement at all and for good reason… but maybe Wataru would prove them wrong and not randomly trail off on a tangent about it and be helpful. Not that they worried too much since Wataru, <em>of course, </em>had a friend to help him out in every subject he needed to have covered and even ones he didn’t.</p>
<p>Such was the power of the ultimate Friend Finder.</p>
<p>The other six students gathered their things and waved off as they left, Hibiki giving her best friend and newly befriended upperclassman a grateful look.</p>
<p>“Thanks, Miku, Wataru-senpai.” Hibiki’s enthusiasm was hit by a sudden undercurrent though. She looked off behind her, in the direction of one of the larger trees in the yard. It was faint, but there was a feeling in her chest now, a heavy one that made her feel uncomfortable. “Is he…?”</p>
<p>“What’s wrong?” Wataru asked, Hibiki still looking off.</p>
<p>“Well, it’s kinda weird but… I’ve got this weird feeling Ritsudo-san is up in that tree there.” Hibiki pointed off at the mentioned tree, Wataru and Miku following the line.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah… Ritsudo-san does nap in a lot of places. That tree’s one of them. I’ve even found him sleeping under the solar panels! It’s usually like that when he’s skipping class.” Wataru said, Miku giving a surprised sound.</p>
<p>“But isn’t that area closed off… actually, no just sleeping during school period is bad!” Miku said, Wataru scratching his cheek. “Really, why would someone be like that? I’ve seen Kenzaki-san around a bit, and everyone always says he’s so cold and closed off. Even I’m a bit concerned about it. It can’t be good for him.”</p>
<p>“See I think the same thing! It’s not good for people to be lonely like that… but he’s always so resistant. It’s so vexing!” Wataru sighed as he laid down, staring at the moving clouds. “But, it won’t deter me. I’ll get through eventually.”</p>
<p>“Hehe, it’s kinda cute how you’re always like this, Wataru-kun.” Miku said… and Hibiki looked downright confused at the sudden air that line prompted as Wataru sat up and rubbed his nose while chuckling. Such things were just beyond the energetic girl to comprehend at the time.</p>
<hr/>
<p>And that following afternoon, as the sky was turning to amber with the sun going down, Miku and Wataru were waiting outside of one of the classrooms, waiting the results from Hibiki. The seemingly down girl stepped out of the room and shut the door, giving a sigh, but there was a bit of a faux mood to it that was quite obvious.</p>
<p>“What did the teacher say?” Miku asked, Hibiki folding her arms.</p>
<p>“’What is this chicken-scratch? They look like hiero-somethings!’”</p>
<p>Wataru was hiding his mouth as he chuckled at the quoting by Hibiki.</p>
<p>“That’s not my question. You were late with the turn in, so did she accept the report or not?”</p>
<p>“She made an exception!” Hibiki turned around with a bright grin on, Miku smiling in return as Hibiki raised a hand up. “Yay, I’m so tired!”</p>
<p>“TACHIBANA! Quiet down!” The teacher’s shrill voice cut through the air, but it didn’t keep down the excited mood among the teachers as they just quietly chuckled.</p>
<p>“Well that’s good for you!” Wataru said, giving a thumbs up, which Hibiki returned the gesture. “Means you’re totally free, no dumb makeup tests!”</p>
<p>“Yeup! So, Miku, we can go watch shooting stars!” Hibiki said, and Wataru showed a light bulb going off in his head as Miku said she would go get her and Hibiki’s things from their class. “Wataru-senpai?”</p>
<p>“I just had an idea of my own! Good luck with that you two, I’m off!” Wataru gave a wave and trotted off. If he remembered things as were usual, about this time Ritsudo would probably be up on the rooftop’s lounge area, likely sleeping on a bench or staring off into space. That or just not there because as of late he’d been quite busy with, as far as Wataru knew since not like he was aware of the nature of what Ritsudo got up to, that “part-time job” of his.</p>
<p>And then came a welcome surprise that, as Wataru was heading up the stairwell, he and Ritsudo crossed paths as the latter was on his way down, which caused Wataru to come straight to a stop and call out. Ritsudo stopped too, glancing back with an annoyed look on his face.</p>
<p>“Ehehe, surprised I caught you here!” Wataru said, Ritsudo only raising a brow in obvious question to what the other boy wanted from him. And by this point Wataru easily got that. “Well, you see, there’s this shooting star event going on tonight so maybe…”</p>
<p>“Are trying to date me now or something?” Ritsudo muttered, Wataru putting a hand behind his head.</p>
<p>“So you can make jokes!”</p>
<p>Ritsudo looked back while blankly staring at Wataru. The sheer determination the boy had may have been admirable to some, but it was certainly annoying as all hell to Ritsudo. But, he just sighed as he shook his head.</p>
<p>“Whatever. The answer is obviously no. I’ve got work anyway.”</p>
<p>“Ah that’s a shame. Well, maybe we can hang out another time yeah?”</p>
<p>“You’re too persistent. When are you gonna take the hint and just leave me alone?”</p>
<p>“I won’t. Because I feel like all you need is the right push to get out of that shell of yours.” Wataru said, Ritsudo stopping as he was headed down the stairs now. “Ritsudo-san, I don’t think you’re a bad person… and, I heard some of the rumors. We, well, we actually used to go to the same middle school. We were in different classes though, but, I heard what people said… about you, after that Zwei Wing concert two years ago.”</p>
<p>Ritsudo’s hand tightened on the rail as his right hand balled up and started shaking. His eyes were wide as Wataru spoke that, airing at last he knew exactly the kind of things that surrounded Ritsudo, the things he hated so much.</p>
<p>“Ritsudo-san, I’m trying because I don’t think that way. Nobody should have pushed all of that onto you, it wasn’t fair of them to call you those things, to blame you for what happened. But, still, I think…”</p>
<p>“SHUT UP!” Ritsudo’s voice was cracking as he yelled, his breathing shaky as his teeth grinded together, Wataru surprised at the visible shuddering in Ritsudo. “Just shut up, stop talking about it. Just leave me alone, like everybody else did.”</p>
<p>Ritsudo didn’t even wait for a reply before he rushed down the stairs and vanished from sight, Wataru giving a sigh as he then sat down on the stairs.</p>
<p>“I messed up. Maybe I should’ve thought about how to bring that up better.” Wataru folded his arms as he grumbled. But that did at least affirm it to him now… Ritsudo clearly still had problems because of what had happened two years ago… or rather what had happened to him afterwards. It only set in the motivation more knowing that now. Ritsudo had closed off because all people did was shove their grief on him and blame him for it, nobody had offered a bit of sympathy or tried to help him despite it.</p>
<p>And Wataru felt a bit guilty thinking about it. If he’d been as aware of the situation then, would he have been able to give Ritsudo that helping hand he’d have needed to avoid becoming so closed off and angry with the world?</p>
<p>And as with Ritsudo, as he was leaving the school at a run, he felt that buzz in his mind, and it brought a grimace to his face.</p>
<p><em>“You’re still running from it. You’re never going to be able to move forward as long as you keep doing this.” </em>That voice in his head spoke, Ritsudo growling as he got out of the school and slowed his pace. <em>“How much longer eh?”</em></p>
<p>“Shut up.” Ritsudo spoke aloud, putting a hand to his face as he tried to calm himself down. “Just be quiet and do what you’re supposed to. Stop trying to lecture me.”</p>
<p>
  <em>“I doubt you’ll have much of a choice soon enough.”</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>And a while later after all of that, Ritsudo and Hibiki were standing at one of the subway entrances in town. Ritsudo was sitting on the rail as cars went by, and Hibiki was dialing her phone with a somber look on her face, and the quiet air was only met by Ritsudo’s headphones blaring music he of course didn’t really pay any mind to at all. Hibiki’s phone didn’t ring for long, and she sighed as it was picked up, and of course, it was Miku she dialed.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Hibiki, what do you think-”</em>
</p>
<p>“Sorry, something came up.” Hibiki cut her friend off, gripping her phone tightly. “I might not be able to make it to the shooting stars tonight.”</p>
<p>It was silent for a moment, and Hibiki could hear a faint drawing in of breath from Miku.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Is it something important again?”</em>
</p>
<p>“Yeah.”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Okay, I get it. That’s just the way it is. I’ll leave the door open, so don’t be late.”</em>
</p>
<p>“Thank you. And, I’m sorry again.”</p>
<p>“You ready now?” Ritsudo stepped off the rail as Murakumo formed in his left hand, Hibiki nodding as they both turned to look at the Noise moving up at them from the path below. Ritsudo put his hand to the sword’s hilt, and Hibiki took in a breath.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Balwisyall nescell Gungnir tron!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Scindia Ame-no-Murakumo tron!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>~I absolutely won't let go of this hand. After all, look, the heat humans make is so warm. I don't need complicated words. I understand now. We will resonate with our brave minds.~</em>
</p>
<p>Hibiki took the first charge, her fist landing square on a Noise, Ritsudo jumping over and impaling the next one, Hibiki following suit by kicking a Noise going for Ritsudo’s back as he then shot around and slashed the next one to follow, the two quickly making their way down the steps, their comm lines buzzing on as they kept moving deeper into the station while carving through the Noise in their way.</p>
<p><em> “We’ve detected something big inside there.” </em>Genjuuro’s voice was the one to come through as the pair entered the main area, <em>“Tsubasa and Kyomei will be there soon. Hang on until then. Don’t do anything stupid.”</em></p>
<p>“Got it!” Hibiki responded, Ritsudo standing up from having bat a Noise aside. “I’ll just do what I can!”</p>
<p>“Depends on if we get it first or not.” Ritsudo stated, the two spotting what was likely the Noise of subject, a taller, dark pink colored noise that had what looked like an oversized bushel of <em>grapes </em>on it’s back, “Let’s make this fun!”</p>
<p>A few of the forward Noise charged the two Symphogears, only becoming cannon fodder as they were basically swatted aside, but, the new Noise used the opening it had to launch a few of it’s balls off of it’s body, Hibiki and Ritsudo yelping when it turned out the orbs were <em>explosives, </em>the few that were launched causing a segment of the ceiling to cave in on the two, the pink Noise retreating further into the subway as it’s fellows surrounded the pile of rubble.</p>
<p>“That’s gonna be annoying!” Parts of the rubble burst away in a blast of wind as Ritsudo stood up, growling as he looked at the Noise in front of him. Hibiki got up a bit slower, and a growl left the girl’s throat. Ritsudo looked back at her, and he saw that her eyes were suddenly gleaming red, and a black tinge was surrounding her Gear for some reason. “Tachibana?”</p>
<p>“I wanted to see them…” Hibiki grumbled, a keen sounding in the air and the rest of the rubble being blown aside, Hibiki rushing forward and punching through the first Noise to get close, the others not faring long under the enraged assault from the girl, “I wanted to see the shooting stars! I wanted to see the shooting stars with Miku!”</p>
<p>Hibiki kept whaling on the Noise as an enraged scream left her throat, blazing ahead of Ritsudo as they moved further down the station and into the maintenance areas, where they saw the purple Noise, not restocked with it’s explosive balls, fleeing from them, Hibiki’s dark shroud growing as she growled at the thing.</p>
<p>“And you… you ruined my promise!” Hibiki growled, Ritsudo hanging back and looking almost concerned about the state the girl was in. He was unsettled by it, even more because it was like he could <em>feel </em>how enraged Hibiki was, a burning sensation in his chest that was like nothing but pure fury trying to rip through his mind. Not helped one bit by Hibiki slamming the wall hard enough to leave a deep crater in it.</p>
<p>“Try and keep your cool.” Ritsudo stepped ahead as the fleeing Noise spawned lesser types to get between it and the Symphogears, though Hibiki just shoved her way past Ritsudo as she glared at the Noise with nothing but killer intent in her gleaming eyes.</p>
<p>“You made me lie… You took away my peaceful world! My calm, every day life… You took it all away!” Hibiki lunged at the Noise with another furious roar, her hand ripping into the first one she got close to.</p>
<p>The following display was nothing but sheer brutality as Hibiki literally ripped into the Noise. Hands tearing into them like claws, wild kicks shredding through their bodies, pouncing on one and repeatedly punching at it until it finally crumbled into an ashen pile before gleefully rushing towards the next ones and continuing to brutalize the things. Ritsudo stepped back a bit at the display that was before him, gripping his sword a bit tighter.</p>
<p>“Dammit look out!” Ritsudo rushed forward as more of the purple balls went towards Hibiki, slashing at them and causing the explosions to go off right in front of the two. Ritsudo growled as his arms shook from doing that, and Hibiki blinked as she suddenly snapped back to normal, the dark shroud and gleam in her eyes gone. “What the <em>hell </em>was that?!”</p>
<p>“What was… the Noise!” Hibiki clearly didn’t have an answer, to Ritsudo’s confusion. She went after the Noise as it jumped onto the tracks, though it threw up more balls and blew through the structures above, making a hole right up to the surface it quickly fled up through as the Symphogears went after it. As it fled, Hibiki grated her teeth as she let out a grumble, Ritsudo sighing as he then jumped after it. Hibiki watched in silence as Ritsudo vanished past the lip of the hole before following up to the surface after the Noise, though as she looked up, her eyes went wide as she saw a light in the sky streaking downwards. “A shooting star?”</p>
<p>“Nope.” Ritsudo said, sheathing his sword. “That’s our backup.”</p>
<p>As he said that, the streak of light suddenly got closer, along with the blue being met with red along with it. Tsubasa’s own song rang through the air as a flash of blue shot forward and slammed into the Noise, blasting it away. Tsubasa landed as the smoke rose up, steam pouring from her armor as slots opened, and Kyomei landed from above not long after she did. Tsubasa turned to Hibiki as she stood, and the girl gave a small breath as her fists balled up.</p>
<p>“I have things I want to protect too!” Hibiki said, Tsubasa lifting up her sword as Hibiki took in a breath. “So…”</p>
<p>“So? So what? What are you going to do?”</p>
<p>A new voice broke the silence between the four users, all of them turning to the source, Tsubasa and Kyomei’s eyes widening as they saw the figure, the clouds moving to allow more moonlight to show, illuminating the new figure, showing them to be a girl in white, light violet accented armor, tail like segments coming from the shoulders, the girl’s eyes covered by a red accented visor that still showed completely white hair, which fell down her back in four thin tails.</p>
<p>“The Nehushtan Armor…” Tsubasa muttered, Ritsudo raising a brow.</p>
<p><em>“Nehushtan… you mean like that brass snake from the Hebrew Bible?” </em>Ritsudo thought. But, the girl wasn’t the only one to show themselves as shifts in the grass could be heard behind the bunch, again, turning to see the new figure, but this one was <em>far </em>more vague. While one could gander the individual was a male by their build alone, He was clad head to toe in black, a long coat sitting over armor with sharp gauntlets on his forearms, ashen hair showing beneath the coats hood, but his face hidden by a stark black mask only showing anything by a red line where the eyes would be, and in the individuals right hand was a spear with a tip burning bright orange, with the shaft black as obsidian yet marked by glowing orange veins all across it.</p>
<p>“Well look who showed up! Were you following me this whole time?” The Nehushtan girl hummed, pointing at the black armored individual, who gave a hum as he spun the spear in his hands to be placed just over his shoulder, a movement that made Kyomei and Tsubasa’s eyes widened. It was a motion that was familiar to them all in the way it was executed.</p>
<p>“Someone has to keep an eye on you. That armor is a bit too valuable, and you have a reckless streak.” The masked figure’s reply made the white haired girl click her tongue in an annoyed manner. Otherwise the man’s gaze scanned across the crowd, and he gave a huff as he brought the spear back down. “All I see before me are wavering hearts with resolves not yet solidly founded. A pity, especially for you!”</p>
<p>“Me?” Ritsudo scowled as the man pointed his spear towards him, giving a nod.</p>
<p>“That sword you hold is capable of so much more, and yet your cowardice holds it back… truly a shame.”</p>
<p>“Say what?!” Ritsudo whipped his sword out at that comment, the man huffing again as he spun the spear into a readier hold.</p>
<p>“Hahaha, what are you waxing on about?” The Nehushtan girl gave a laugh, putting a hand to her head as she sighed. “But you guys know where this armor came from huh?”</p>
<p>“Would be hard for us not to.” Kyomei said, changing his bow to it’s crossbow form and aiming both at the assumed enemies.</p>
<p>“Because of my failure, it was stolen two years ago. I’ll never forget. And, I’ll never forget the life that was stolen because of me!” Tsubasa raised her sword in a ready stance, the Nehushtan girl grabbing one of the chains and producing another item, a staff like piece that opened up, a cocky smirk on the enemy’s face, “The reason I lost Kanade… and the Gungnir Symphogear she left behind… both have come back to me after two years… but, this cruelty feels good to me!”</p>
<p>“Tsubasa.” Kyomei muttered, looking between the two enemies like he couldn’t decide who to actually focus on right now. But Tsubasa’s words did echo through him… this was without any doubt what one could call a twist of fate, and a cruel one it certainly was. But Tsubasa’s clear thoughts about it left Kyomei unsettled and troubled.</p>
<p>“Don’t, Tsubasa-san!” Hibiki then ran up and grabbed Tsubasa, the others looking at her in surprise, “That’s a person! Another human!”</p>
<p>“It’s a battlefield! What’s wrong with you?!” Tsubasa <em>and </em>the Nehushtan girl all snapped the same thing at the same time, the two looking between each other, Tsubasa smirking.</p>
<p>“I think you and I are gonna get along just fine.” Tsubasa spoke, the Nehushtan girl chuckling.</p>
<p>“Then wanna have some fun?” The Nehushtan girl threw the chain like item forward, Tsubasa pushing Hibiki aside and leaping as their fight began, Ritsudo catching Hibiki as he then turned to face the second of their enemies, Kyomei already moving to join Tsubasa in fighting the other girl.</p>
<p>
  <em>~"I’m struggling, caught inside the lightning" it is my destiny to obliterate. To overcome my hesitation I return to the sounds of my music...it’s the only thing I know.~</em>
</p>
<p>Tsubasa led off immediately by launching an energy wave from her enlarged sword, but it was easily bat aside. Tsubasa’s singing cut off as she saw how easily it was done, and her series of strikes were easily parried or bat aside, through Kyomei’s covering fire proved a helpful distraction, but Tsubasa was unable to get a clean hit in, being roughly kicked away herself. It made it evidently clear to both her and Kyomei that this was the obvious difference between a completed Relic and shards used to form a Symphogear from that alone.</p>
<p>“Don’t you two! That’s another person!” Hibiki shouted, Ritsudo shooting a glare at her.</p>
<p>“Yeah, and an enemy! If this guy is with that girl, then that means he’s our enemy and here for a fight!” Ritsudo snapped, quick to move his blade to parry as the black clad man attacked, his spear sending sparks flying as it collided with Ritsudo’s sword, the two quickly moving off elsewhere in the park as their weapons clashed, though the one with the clear advantage in the fight was the spear wielder.</p>
<p>And as he watched the man move while giving Tsubasa cover fire as she clashed her sword against the chains being sent her way, Kyomei’s eyes went wide as he again saw familiarity in the way the enemy was handling his spear, the ways he swept it around and jabbed it forward, moves that would be entirely unusual for a spear.</p>
<p>“That stance… those movements… it’s just like…” Kyomei muttered, his eyes then widening as shock hit him, “Just like Koto… who are you?!”</p>
<p>“A Tuner… just like you.” The masked man said, stepping aside as Ritsudo slashed at him with water following the blade, and he thrust the spear up as that slash of water turned into a crashing wave, the water turning to steam as it collided with the stream. The masked figure then spun around, kicking Ritsudo clean in the chest and sending him skidding back, swiping his spear to deflect shots from Kyomei.</p>
<p>“The hell is this guy?” Ritsudo growled, moving back into fighting after wiping his chin off of a bit of blood.</p>
<p>Hibiki however, was still hanging back from all of the fighting, her eyes wide as she watched the two melees that were Ritsudo against the masked spearman and Kyomei and Tsubasa against the Nehushtan girl. These were other human beings, people they didn’t <em>have </em>to fight. So why was it they were anyway? Hibiki wanted to do something, but she also could feel the danger of getting between all of this.</p>
<p>As the fights progressed, Tsubasa avoided the whips of the Nehushtan girl as she flailed them about, clearly having the upper hand due to her Relic being complete, while Ritsudo was being <em>easily </em>overwhelmed by the masked Tuner, his nimble spear barely being dodged or blocked, and any attempts by Ritsudo to attack being parried or insultingly avoided. And things only escalated when the Nehushtan girl pulled out her staff, and from it <em>summoned </em>four Noise, these ones like tall, red poles with legs, Hibiki turning to run from them, only to be caught when they fired webbing like material at her.</p>
<p>“No… no way…” Hibiki murmured, yelping when four bolts of red shot through the air, the Noise crumbling and released her, Kyomei standing not far off with his crossbows reverting into bow form, and he deflected the chain that was sent his way before firing back.</p>
<p>“Tch, forgot about that one.” The Nehushtan girl clicked her tongue, then using one of the whips to block Tsubasa’s sword.</p>
<p>“Were you so busy with her you forgot me?!” Tsubasa snapped, her enemy only smirking, then yelping when Tsubasa hit the ground and swung her foot down, stumbling her foe and going for another kick, which was all too easily blocked.</p>
<p>“Don’t be so arrogant!” The Nehushtan girl snapped, grabbing Tsubasa’s leg and throwing her to the ground, moving fast enough to stop her role by stamping her foot down on Tsubasa’s head, and at the other fight going on, Ritsudo was again swatted aside by his foe, who then moved behind him in a blink, Ritsudo’s attempted dodge instead resulting in the tip of the spear grazing his left side, the protection of his armor <em>just </em>keeping him from being seriously injured and seared by the hot blade, but a bleeding gash could be seen beneath the opening made by the spear, Ritsudo clutching his side as his enemy pointed his weapon at him.</p>
<p>“Weak. Noise are mere mindless tools, nothing compared to true foes. You’ll never attain victory so long as you remain this weak. You insult your Relic by continuing to behave this way.” The man said, Ritsudo growling at him, a red gleam rising in his eyes.</p>
<p>“Be quiet!” Ritsudo swiped again, though this time his sword was caught by the man’s empty hand, the metal of the blade and gantlet scraping against one another as the man kept a firm hold on the sword.</p>
<p>“Perhaps I should offer a helping hand with that. Clearly you have barriers that need to be broken down!” The man released his grip on the sword, and with a sudden pulse of light, he struck Ritsudo right on the chest, at the core gem of his armor. Ritsudo was sent skidding back from the blow, and he suddenly coughed harshly as he felt a pulse go through his body, collapsing to his knees as a wild clamor of noise began to fill the air.</p>
<p>“Ritsudo-san?! What’s wrong?!” Hibiki rushed over to Ritsudo, and she flinched when her attempt to reach out came with a lash of black aura striking at her, an aura that was progressively covering Ritsudo’s body. “What’s happening?!”</p>
<p><em>“Ritsudo’s Resonance is climbing dangerously fast!” </em>Ryouko’s voice came over the line, the fighting paused as pulses of energy began coming from Ritsudo as shuddering noises began leaving his throat. <em>“Find a way to disengage Ame-no-Murakumo, at this rate his Resonance will overload!”</em></p>
<p>“Too late for that.” The masked man said, the pulses from Ritsudo growing strong enough it was actually sending notable amounts of force through the air.</p>
<p>And as a scream suddenly broke from his throat, one animalistic and primal in sound, the aura around him exploded upwards in a pillar of black and red that harshly lashed around and violently rent the ground around them all. With an explosion through the air, the pillar faded, shock going around through the others as they saw the state Ritsudo was now in. His body was completely shrouded in inky black that shifted around and was edged in burning red, the only features visible on his face from under the hood of the shifting cloak being the burning red of his eyes and the fanged snarl on his face, the sword in his hands also covered in the aura and changed to look almost barbed in appearance from the pulsing energy around it.</p>
<p>The looks from all the others, including the Nehushtan girl, were nothing but open shock at what they were seeing in front of them, Hibiki even backing away as she immediately felt danger from the changed Ritsudo in front of her. The masked man however, gave a huff, almost sounding disappointed as Ritsudo glared at him.</p>
<p>“Perhaps you can find power in your failure, chosen of Ame-no-Murakumo.” The man said, and Ritsudo gave an animalistic howl that echoed all across the night. It wasn’t the howl of an enraged human, it was the howl of a beast. And as the howl faded, with beastly power behind the stride, Ritsudo charged the spearman, who quickly took his stance, sword and spear colliding again as another roar split the air…</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Roaring to the Sky</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The battle between the berserk Ritsudo and the masked Tuner didn’t at all resemble anything that could even come <em>close </em>to that word. It was more like someone defending themselves against a wild animal. Ritsudo’s attacks were heavy, the blows form his blade rending the ground before wherever his blade slashed, but he also lashed at the masked man with his now clawed hands and legs, like he was turning his entire body into a blade for the sole purpose of attacking the enemy in every way he could.</p>
<p>The masked man however, while a bit more on the defensive than before, didn’t show any sign of trouble as his burning spear twirled around and met every blow sent his way when they weren’t dodged, powerful strikes blowing Ritsudo away, but only for the fight be to reengaged just as quickly as the berserk young man refused to back down, beastly roars echoing through the air the whole time.</p>
<p>“Geez that guy’s got problems! The hell is up with that huh?” The Nehushtan girl chuckled as the fighting between the other two tore across the grounds and through the woods around them, and the girl as quick to swipe her whip to block as Tsubasa slashed at her.</p>
<p>“Don’t go forgetting you still have us to deal with!” Tsubasa growled, the silver clad girl snickering.</p>
<p>“Oh I didn’t!” And with a swift movement, that strange staff was drawn up again, more Noise being summoned from it to create a crowd between the gap left open by Kyomei hanging back. “And don’t go thinking you’re the main character here! The goal here is cause we’re after your two little friends!”</p>
<p>“What do you want with them?!” Kyomei shouted, jumping from a Noise as he pelted arrows down on them while he spun in the air, the crossbows being slammed together to reform back into the short bow so he could block the whip that was sent his way, again slamming Kyomei back to a distance with the remaining Noise still between him and the other two.</p>
<p>“Like I would tell you that!”</p>
<p>More Noise were summoned to replace the ones that Kyomei had gotten rid of, and he growled as Tsubasa and the girl’s fight itself escalated as Tsubasa called a rain of swords down, blazing around and causing near similar damages to Ritsudo and the masked Tuner’s fight.</p>
<p>“Dammit, this is getting out of hand!” Kyomei growled as he shot down the Noise coming his way, and Hibiki ran up as she kicked a Noise down.</p>
<p>“Kyomei-san, what should we do?” Hibiki asked, Kyomei grumbling as he jabbed an energy arrow through a Noise before firing it off. “Wait, my Armed Gear! If I can just draw it out… if I want to replace Kanade-san I need to…”</p>
<p>“Don’t say replace.” Kyomei said.</p>
<p>“Eh?”</p>
<p>“I said don’t say replace!” Kyomei snapped, Hibiki flinching. “Tachibana, you’re not here to replace Kanade! Talking like that won’t help anyone! Now isn’t the time for this. I need to regroup with Tsubasa. Try to draw out your Armed Gear, and whether or not you can, <em>try </em>and see what you can do about Kenzaki!”</p>
<p>“But I…” Hibiki didn’t get another word in before Kyomei leapt into the air, his bow changing form again, the split arms attaching to his forearms and taking on a more gun like form, the quivers attaching to Kyomei’s upper arms and belts of large bullets locking into the arm cannons, bullets raining down and seeking each target as Kyomei pulled the triggers on the handles that flew from the reformed weapon, cascading around the Noise and blowing them away, Kyomei landing as he then dashed forward while his weapon changed into the auto-crossbows again as he dashed into the conflict between Tsubasa and the Nehushtan girl.</p>
<p>And meanwhile Ritsudo’s fight with the masked one found it’s way back into the main area as Ritsudo was sent flying through the air with a burst of crimson fire flaring upwards from the words, Ritsudo flipping and skidding to a stop on all fours, a furious growl coming from him as the masked man stepped out of the blaze he’d set alight. And as the vicious fighting began again, Hibiki slammed her gauntlets together as she gave a hissing breath.</p>
<p>“I can draw it out too… come on, come on! Why won’t the Armed Gear form?!” Hibiki stumbled back from her near fumbling to form some kind of weapon as a wave of dark energy shot past her, her eyes turning to see Ritsudo flying through the air again after a blow from the masked Tuner slammed his chest. He came crashing down near her, and Hibiki, while hesitant, started edging closer as Ritsudo began rising back up. “Ritsudo-san, c-can you hear me? Come on, you need to snap out of whatever this is! You’re there right?”</p>
<p>Hibiki’s eyes showed a bit of hope in them as Ritsudo’s stance seemed to change, his gaze turning to her slowly. He took a step forward, and Hibiki began to move back immediately as the hopeful look turned fearful as Ritsudo raised his sword while another roar split the air. But before the blade could come down, it was stopped in an instant, the masked Tuner’s coat flaring as his spear held the sword still, the blade shuddering as Ritsudo tried to force it down.</p>
<p>“Your fight is with me. Not your companion. Flare, Araedhbar!” And with the call from it’s wielder, the spear in the man’s hand shed it’s obsidian coating in an explosion of flame that blew Ritsudo and Hibiki back. With the covering released, in the man’s hand was now a spear purely of flame roaring up into the air, which he released, and it immediately began to float in the air, following the guide of his hand as he moved his arm through the air. “Araedhbar, hunt.”</p>
<p>And with that command the flaming spear shot through the air at Ritsudo, it’s onslaught relentless as it simply countered being knocked away by veering back around and striking again, painting a continuous trail of scarlet through the air as it blazed around and struck again and again. The spear was just as wild as Ritsudo as it struck, a ferocious animal that had been let off of its chain and allowed to go rampant, the flames themselves seeming to reflect that attitude as it pursued the berserk Ritsudo, who himself seemed to be getting progressively feral with each passing moment.</p>
<p>“Call it off!” Hibiki shot forward and threw a punch, but the clumsy blow was easily caught by her target, the masked man shifting just enough that the red gleam of his mask was aimed at her. Hibiki pulled her fist free and kept trying to strike, but her blows were easily dodged and deflected, and an attempt at a stronger punch was stopped again, the masked man giving a huff as he tightly held Hibiki’s fist.</p>
<p>“Slow, unrefined, and clumsy. You clearly don’t know the first thing about battle. As I said before, Noise are nothing but mere tools, you need much more than this if you wish to defeat a true foe!” The man then grabbed Hibiki’s arm with both hands, scraping his feet around as he lifted the girl over his shoulder, Hibiki yelling as she was then slammed into the ground hard, a small crater forming as she was slammed into the dirt, Hibiki coughing as the man then stamped on her torso. “Potential gone to waste. You too aren’t in the proper state of mind.”</p>
<p>“W-Why? We’re both humans… why do we have to fight?” Hibiki said, grabbing the man’s leg, and he kicked her grip off easily.</p>
<p>“Conflict is more necessary than you would believe, little girl. It’s naïve to think humanity will be bettered if conflict between them stops.” The man’s words brought a confused expression to Hibiki’s face, and he gave an unsurprised huff as he then turned, looking to the ongoing fight between Ritsudo and the burning spear. “Araedhbar, return.”</p>
<p>The spear lashed at Ritsudo with one more attack that knocked him back, the wild boy’s grip on his sword going loose, the weapon flying from his hand and landing into the dirt with the tip driving into it. The man strode over as the spear flew back to him and regained it’s obsidian shell, stopping at the sword as Ritsudo got up on all fours, growling while the man placed a hand on Murakumo’s hilt.</p>
<p>“I would say it’s about time we wrap up here, wouldn’t you?” The man then drew the blade out of the ground, balancing it a bit as he leveled the edge. “Of course you feel heavy in my hands. But I know your intent, Ame-no-Murakumo. You always cared too much for your chosen wielders.”</p>
<p>As for the other fight going on, the conflict kept up of Tsubasa sticking close to the Nehushtan girl, who kept spawning Noise from the staff she had to keep Kyomei away from them. Tsubasa was finding it out the hard way the power she was up against was in short order the real deal, there wasn’t any messing around at all. Her blows, when they did land, were near ineffective when they weren’t being bat aside and blocked.</p>
<p>“She’s definitely not toying around. This power is the real deal.” Tsubasa grit her teeth as her sword scraped against the whip holding it back, her opponent’s cocky grin not faltering at all. Kyomei was finishing up with the current wave of Noise at the time, starting to turn his crossbow at the girl now instead.</p>
<p>“Taking time to think in the middle of a fight?!” The Nehushtan girl kicked at Tsubasa, who flipped back and away, and in that same time more Noise were deployed. Tsubasa and Kyomei quickly dealt with them, both firing off blasts at their foe, though her armor didn’t even take a scratch from the impacts that came at her. She moved aside and let out both whips, Tsubasa batting them aside and finally letting them get close, Tsubasa’s slashes being paired with Kyomei’s close range attempts to get a hit in, but the Nehushtan girl dodged and deflected their blows as they struck.</p>
<p>“Oh come on, can’t you two do that Synchronize thing?! You’re never going to win if you keep fighting like this!” Lashes of the whips sent both skidding back, and Tsubasa flung out a few smaller blades at the girl, though she bat them aside while laughing, blocking shots from Kyomei as she rushed forward. The girl then lashed one of the whips up, a dark ball of energy forming at the end of it as she lifted the whip high and then brought it crashing down, Kyomei attempting to stop it as he changed back to his bow and fired a large arrow at it, but the ball crashed through it within a moment, the attack rushing forward and impacting both Kyomei and Tsubasa. It exploded, Kyomei and Tsubasa flying from the smoke and impacting the ground, both landing in heaps as they rolled to a stop.</p>
<p>“Are you about done over there?” The masked man turned as the Nehushtan girl laughed, a smirk coming to her face as she saw he was holding Murakumo.</p>
<p>“So you got it huh?”</p>
<p>“I have other concerns about this. The boy’s useless as long as he remains in this feral state.” The masked man turned back to Ritsudo, lifting Murakumo as Ritsudo lashed at him, the formed blades on Ritsudo’s arms stopping dead as sparks flew from where the blades met each other. “Perhaps you’ll be able to find strength within your failure, or perhaps not.”</p>
<p>As the man broke the blade lock, Murakumo’s blade glowed as it was raised up, the black blade flashing white as it was brought down amid Ritsudo charging again. When he passed, the masked man hadn’t moved any more than he had needed, and a white gash had appeared the black covering Ritsudo in the paused moment that followed. With one more roar to the sky, the black aura around Ritsudo burst away, the boy’s armor disengaging as well as he stumbled forward, falling to the ground with a heavy thud, Murakumo’s sheathe dropping down next to him.</p>
<p>“Ritsudo-san!” Hibiki was the one to yell out as she got back up, the masked man stalking over to Ritsudo and kicking him over, showing that the teenager was simply passed out, yet also surprisingly unharmed. “G-get away from him!”</p>
<p>“Relax. I have no intent on harming him. I’ve gotten what I needed from this encounter.” The masked man picked up Murakumo’s sheathe and slid the blade into it, in a manner that seemed downright respectful for the blade. When the sword was back into the sheathe, it quickly shrunk down into it’s pendant form, and the man dropped it onto Ritsudo’s chest. “Now as for this, I’ll ask again, are you done over there? If we waste more time escape will be difficult, and dragging non Adaptors into this isn’t part of our plan.”</p>
<p>“Ah relax! I think we’re about done here, just give it a minute more. These two are stubborn.” said the Nehushtan girl as she leaned to the side, Tsubasa and Kyomei slowly trying to rise up again. “Still, what a failure.”</p>
<p>“Damn… who knew fighting a full Relic would be like this?” Kyomei managed to rise to a knee, panting heavily, feeling the weight of his damage armor starting to lean on him. “If this keeps up, our Symphogears are going to disengage.”</p>
<p>“I have to admit…” Tsubasa spoke, her face still down to the ground as she started to rise. “I have to admit I am a failure. I’ve trained my body to become a sword. And on that day… I survived anyway. I shamed myself as a failed sword. But that ends today.” Tsubasa drove her sword into the ground to serve as a support, managing to look up towards the moon, “If I can take back the Nehushtan, my honor will be restored…”</p>
<p>“Yeah? Just try and take it off me-” The Nehushtan girl stepped forward, Kyomei drawing his bow, but then somewhat lowering the weapon when their enemy suddenly froze, spotting why: One of the daggers Tsubasa had thrown, in the ground and stuck in the girl’s shadow. “She’s paralyzed me! No way… you can’t-” The Nehushtan girl seemed to be reaching the same realization Kyomei was, his own expression shocked as he looked at Tsubasa.</p>
<p>“I’ll finish this while the moon is out.” Tsubasa muttered, Kyomei grabbing standing up and grabbing her by the shoulder.</p>
<p>“Tsubasa you can’t! If you sing the Swan Song you’ll… ngh, you don’t have to do that! That’s why I’m here!” Kyomei stated, Tsubasa moving his arm aside, a quick move following from her, and Kyomei himself was pinned on his own shadow, “Tsubasa!”</p>
<p>“The girl seeks death as retribution for her failing? Hmph… how quick some are to choose falling in a clamor than accepting their losses.” The masked Tuner stated, Kyomei looking at him, Hibiki propping up the still comatose Ritsudo. “Though perhaps… hmph, not my place to say I suppose.”</p>
<p>Kyomei’s eyes widened a bit as he noticed the masked man clench his fist. That arm was shaking, shuddering like something was trying to get out. All of it, from how he’d been acting to what he’d said, Kyomei’s mind was running with questions about who this man could have been. Could it really be who he thought it was? And if that was the answer, then why? Why was <em>he </em>fighting against them now?</p>
<p>“Ngh… Tsubasa if you are going to do this, Synchronize with me! Put some of the burden on me, stop bearing the weight of the world on your own when you don’t have to!” Kyomei was struggling as hard as he could, but the binding wouldn’t allow him to move an inch. “Dammit Tsubasa listen to me!”</p>
<p>“Tsubasa-san?!” Hibiki gasped as Tsubasa turned to her, the young woman pointing her blade at Hibiki, as if in declaration.</p>
<p>“I’ll show you how a defender lives! Never forget this!” Tsubasa’s gaze was hardened, intense, and showing she was hellbent on going through with this, Kyomei struggling against the binding as Tsubasa turned her back to him.</p>
<p>“Dammit, no no no, I’m not letting this happen again! GANDIVA!” Kyomei screamed out as Tsubasa’s lips parted, and as his Symphogear began glowing, her voice was already carrying out across the air. What Kyomei didn’t see was the sad smile on Tsubasa’s face, the one she wouldn’t show him at this time.</p>
<p>
  <em>~Gatrandis Babel ziggurat Edenal, Emustolronzen Finé el Balal Zizzl, Gatrandis Babel ziggurat Edenal, Emustolronzen Finé el Zizzl~</em>
</p>
<p>“Reach her now!” Kyomei’s own scream sounded as Tsubasa’s body was govered by a dull violet glow. In that moment as that glow began to expand outwards, the two’s Symphogear’s opened up, their armors expanding out and glowing in tandem. This went unnoticed by Tsubasa, as she walked towards the Nehushtan girl, who continued struggling against her own bind, pulling out the staff to summon Noise to block Tsubasa, only for her to appear right in front of her as she finished the song, blood running out from Tsubasa’s mouth, followed by a pure explosion of energy and force that blew away everything near it, the Nehushtan girl getting the brunt of it, being at the epicenter of the burst, the others being sent flying back, whilst the masked Tuner shot away from the explosion, skidding to a stop as the air continued to whip around, and once it ceased, one leap leading him to where the Nehushtan girl had landed, her armor broken in multiple places.</p>
<p>Kyomei and Tsubasa’s armors closed as things settled down, Kyomei coughing roughly, blood coming from his mouth as he struggled to stand up. He had forced Gandiva and Ame-no-Habakiri into a Synchronization, but it had been such a desperate moment it hadn’t fully set in. He had taken some of the backlash but not as much as he could have. And a tear fell from his face, because a thought he’d gotten from Tsubasa was stuck in his mind now. A simple, pure thought: “I want to protect the person who brings me the happiness I don’t deserve.”</p>
<p>“Dammit… that girl is nuts!” The Nehushtan girl grumbled, wincing in pain as the armor began regenerating, the item itself looking as if it was burrowing into her.</p>
<p>“We need to leave… no point in remaining here in the wake of this. Get up, Chris.” The masked Tuner stated, the Nehushtan girl growling as she managed to stand.</p>
<p>“Yeah yeah…” The girl muttered, the two leaving as they launched into the air, and back at the epicenter of the explosion, Tsubasa was standing at the middle amid the shallow crater, Kyomei the first to rush over despite the damage to his own armor, Hibiki’s armor vanishing as she kept her hold on the still unresponsive Ritsudo.</p>
<p>“Tsubasa?!” Kyomei’s voice was hoarse as he screamed, the boy stopping when a car pulled up, Genjuuro and Ryouko stepping out of the vehicle in a hurry.</p>
<p>“Are you okay, Tsubasa?!” Genjuuro shouted, he and Kyomei looking equally concerned, Ryouko going over to Hibiki and immediately looking Ritsudo over.</p>
<p>“I am a defender that also protects humanity.” Tsubasa murmured, turning to the others, their eyes widening in horror at the sight, her front practically drenched in blood, more running down her face from her mouth and eyes, Tsubasa’s gaze blank, staring off into nowhere, “I am not a blade that will break here…”</p>
<p>“Tsubasa!” Kyomei shouted, catching Tsubasa as her eyes closed and she collapsed, quickly putting an ear to her chest, relief breaking through the panic as he hugged her with tears in his eyes, “She’s alive… she’s alive…”</p>
<p>“You both need care. Come on, we’ll get back.” Genjurro knelt down and put a hand on Kyomei’s shoulder, his grasp firm but gentle. “You did well. What you did made sure Tsubasa would stay alive despite what she did. Medical is on their way, so it’ll be fine.”</p>
<p>Kyomei could only nod as he picked Tsubasa up, Genjurro helping him get her to the car. Ryouko hummed as she set down the special stethoscope she was looking Ritsudo over with, Hibiki looking concerned.</p>
<p>“Ryouko-san, is he going to be okay?” Hibiki said, Ryouko nodding with a reassuring smile.</p>
<p>“Surprisingly Ritsudo-kun is perfectly fine… at least, physically speaking. I was worried after what happened to him, but that much is reassuring… but mentally, that’s another story. We won’t know how he is like <em>that </em>until he wakes up.” Ryouko’s statement got Hibiki to give a relieved sigh, but then the looked turned bitter. “Hibiki-chan?”</p>
<p>“I couldn’t do anything… I couldn’t do anything but stand around and watch… I was completely useless.” Hibiki muttered. Ryouko sighed as she went to give a gesture, but stopped herself partway there. Perhaps this was something best left for the children to figure out. An adult stepping in would probably only cause problems. All they could do right now was get the injured ones to a safe place and let them recover.</p>
<hr/>
<p>“She survived. Barely. But until she recovers, she must remain completely still. It’s a very unstable situation. As for the other boy, his injuries are relatively minor, and he should wake up in a short while, as Ryouko-san said. But we suggest he stay here for some time so we can monitor his mental state, considering he was already in a somewhat unstable disposition before.”</p>
<p>Genjuuro and a few of the investigation agents bowed in front of the doctor as the news was given on Tsubasa and Ritsudo’s conditions. After they had gotten back Tsubasa had been rushed into an ICU immediately while Ritsudo was taken to a normal room. Kyomei had been patched up on the ride back from one of the ambulances that had transported them</p>
<p>“Thank you.” Genjuuro stated, turning to the agents as they stood straight, “We will learn where the armor went, along with that spearman. Don’t miss a single clue!”</p>
<p>And as the gathering left, in the only lit nearby booth, a sullen Kyomei and Hibiki were seated, staring at the floor. Kyomei had several wrappings visible around his head and some of his upper torso area visible under his shirt. The mood around them was sullen and despressed, for different reasons between both of them.</p>
<p>“There’s no need to feel bad.” Kyomei and Hibiki looked up, seeing Ogawa approach, the young man bringing his own personal device to one of the nearby machines. “Tsubasa-san did that of her own free will.”</p>
<p>“But she didn’t <em>have to! </em>Even though she… she just wanted to. Dammit… if only I’d tried harder to get through to her. Maybe this wouldn’t have… if I could’ve done more, if I was just stronger than I am.” Kyomei leaned his head on his hands, his voice shuddering as his teeth grated. He felt terrible, a sickening mix of guilt and grief plaguing him at the moment.</p>
<p>“Don’t blame yourself for this. It’s not your fault.” Shinji stated, Kyomei shaking his head.</p>
<p>“Still… if she’d died… if Tsubasa had died… I don’t know what I’d do… I can’t… I can’t lose someone else… I can’t lose her too.” Kyomei’s voice faded back into silent, restrained sobs, Shinji sitting down but keeping a hand on the boy’s head in an attempt help calm him down.</p>
<p>“Kyomei-san…” Hibiki murmured, Kyomei falling silent after a moment, standing up and leaving, Ogawa stopping Hibiki from going after him, “But, Ogawa-san…”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry… I have a feeling I know where he’s going. Kyomei doesn’t want to let Tsubasa-san go through this on her own.” Ogawa stated, Hibiki blinking, “I’m sure you know this, but Tsubasa-san was once in a musical partnership.”</p>
<p>“Zwei Wing, right?” Hibiki asked, Ogawa nodding. “And Kyomei-san told me about someone else… Koto was his nam, I think.”</p>
<p>“Her partner was Amou Kanade-san. Wielder of the Gungnir Symphogear now embedded close to your heart. And Koto-san was her partner, who used the Ruyi Jingu Bang. They were two of the strongest around, an invincible pair who couldn’t be defeated.” Ogawa explained, his look solemn, but firm, “That day two years ago, to minimize the damage dealt by the Noise attack, Kanade-san unleashed her Swan Song.”</p>
<p>“Swan Song… Tsubasa-san used that term too.” Hibiki murmured.</p>
<p>“The Swan Song pushes the Symphogear beyond it’s limits, without regard for the massive strain on it’s user. It destroyed the massive Noise army in an instant. But it took Kanade-san’s life.” Shinji stated, Hibiki glancing down. “Unlike this time, where Kyomei was able to force a Synchronization to shift some of the burden on himself, Koto was unable to do the same to try and save Kanade… she died in his arms.”</p>
<p>“Was it to save me?” Hibiki’s hands bunched together a bit as that thought crossed her mind. Her memories about that concert were vague to a point, but she did remember that much… of the passionate young woman her told her to keep living, to not die and continue to live on no matter what. Those words had echoed in her when Hibiki had first awakened the Gungnir, words she wanted to live up to.</p>
<p>“Kanade-san sacrificed herself, and Zwei Wing was disbanded. Following this, Koto also left us, leaving behind his Relic, and we haven’t heard from him in the two years since and we have no idea where he could possible be right now. And while Kyomei has surely moved on from the loss enough to move forward, Tsubasa-san feels she is all alone, and has been fighting desperately to fill the hole left by Kanade-san. She never had fun or fell in love, like girls her age should. Well… seemingly. She and Kyomei have known each other their entire lives… and their feelings for one another are strong because of it.” Ogawa continued on with the story, Hibiki bearing a troubled look as she listened, “She put aside her personality to live her life as a sword. And today, to fulfill her duty as a blade, she sang her song, fully prepared to die… I think the saddest part is that in doing this, Tsubasa shut herself out from realizing she wasn’t alone. Kyomei has done everything he could to stick with her through thick and thin, trying to mend the gap, but, sadly, Tsubasa continued to push him away. He tries so hard, so earnestly, but, it fell on deaf ears with Tsubasa… Kyomei may not even realize his care for Tsubasa isn’t just that of a close friend or comrade… though, both of them are somewhat dense in that regard. And today, I feel Kyomei came very close to breaking… losing Tsubasa-san would have done irreparable damage to him… it’s strange, isn’t it? But, that’s the way Kazanari Tsubasa lives her life.”</p>
<p>“That’s so horrible…” Hibiki murmured, tears falling from her cheeks, “And I didn’t know anything about her… But, I said I wanted to fight with her anyway. I said I could take Kanade-san’s place…”</p>
<p>“I don’t want you to be a replacement for Kanade-san, in the same way Ritsudo-kun isn’t a replacement for Koto. Nobody wants that.” Shinji spoke, Hibiki shaking as she cried, “Hey, Hibiki-san, would you do something for me? And maybe ask Ritsudo-san about it too if he’ll listen to you?”</p>
<p>Hibiki wiped off her eyes and looked up, Ogawa giving a kind smile to the girl.</p>
<p>“Please don’t hate Tsubasa-san, and please help Kyomei… don’t let them be alone in the world. And please, help Ritsudo-san too.” Shinji requested, Hibiki nodding.</p>
<p>“Yes.” Hibiki then gave a hum, looking out at the night sky beyond. “I still don’t know a lot about Ritsudo-san though. We’ve been partners for over a month but he never talks to me. I know he was at that concert too, but I wonder why… why is he how he is? It’s so hurtful… and right now it’s like… it’s like I can feel how much it hurts, how dark everything is for him. When it think about it, it’s like the world turns grey and cold… it’s horrible. How can someone live like that?”</p>
<p>“Ritsudo-san’s life has been… a difficult one for sure.” Ogawa said, Hibiki looking at the young man. “It’s not my place to say, but you should know. When he was young, around ten years old, Ritsudo-san lost his parents to a Noise attack. There’s not a lot of details about the rest of his family, but rather than take him in they sent him to live on his own while sending people to check on him until he was in the second year of middle school. And during that concert two years ago, he went there with two friends of his… as you can guess from how that went, they aren’t exactly around anymore. He lost his closest family to the Noise, and then his dear friends… and I can only imagine what happened afterwards that drove him to the point he’s at now. All I know the file the Commander has is that he ended up taken in by the police after getting into a fight at school… one where he ended up putting three other students into the hospital because of how brutally he injured them.”</p>
<p>“He did that?” Hibiki’s eyes were wide. Learning all of that… it started putting things into perspective for Hibiki. She didn’t have to think much to put it together… it was all too likely that after that concert, people had begun projecting their grief onto Ritsudo, using him as a source of blame to vent their turbulent emotions onto… and when he’d finally had enough he must have snapped. Hibiki hated it but she could relate to that, all too well… but she had a dear friend who had been able to keep her from falling past that breaking point, to keep her from becoming angry and cold to others. “That’s so terrible…”</p>
<p>Hibiki couldn’t help but say it aloud when she thought about it. Ogawa was able to pick up that Hibiki had said that not about Ritsudo’s actions, but about what must have led to them. Both knew that somewhere in there Ritsudo wasn’t a bad person, just one who was closed off and angry at a world that had rejected him at every turn when it had shoved him low. Of course it would bring remarks about how terrible that situation was to those willing to empathize with it.</p>
<p>“He feels like people will always leave him alone so he forces himself to remain so. I’m sure you know about that classmate of his who’s been trying to befriend him by this point, right?”</p>
<p>“Yes. Wataru-senpai. I’m friends with him now, actually.” Hibiki said. “And what happened to Ritsudo-san tonight… it was… terrifying. It felt like every last bit of anger he had was put right on the surface. It’s scary to think our Symphogears can do that. Isn’t this power supposed to be to help others?”</p>
<p>“Well there’s still a lot we don’t know about just <em>what </em>Symphogears are fully capable of, the Ame-no-Murakumo especially due to its anomalous nature.” Ogawa stated, Hibiki giving a hum. “But, please… I think you’re what the three of them need to start being able to move on in different ways. So, please, Hibiki-san, stick by them and help them move forward.”</p>
<p>“I’ll do my best.” It was all Hibiki could say, and another phrase came to mind. “It’ll be okay, it’ll be alright.” A phrase that brought her comfort when times were trying and rough. An assurance everything would turn out fine. All she had to do was hope it would, and put her all into it.</p>
<hr/>
<p>That same night, something else was going on in a completely different area of the city. A currently quiet and secluded hill where the clouds were minimal and the sky was very clear the see right now. A perfect place one could go if they wanted to see shooting stars. Which is exactly what Miku was here to do, even in the absence of Hibiki. All she could do at the moment was wait and hope her best friend would show up, but with how things had been ever since she’d taken that “part time job”, Miku had bitter doubts about it.</p>
<p>“Geez… why can’t she just tell me? It can’t be <em>that </em>important can it? All she’s doing is making me worry.” Miku sighed as she leaned her arm on a knee, then she had an idea. “Well… if she won’t show up I should at least record it for her. Hibiki would at least like that if she can’t come to see them tonight.”</p>
<p>Miku started to fiddle around with her phone with that idea being in her head now, focused enough she didn’t really notice the footsteps of another on the grass starting to get closer.</p>
<p>“You know Miku, you’re not gonna be able to record shooting stars on your phone.”</p>
<p>“Hibiki?!”</p>
<p>Miku turned around in surprise, but, to the awkwardness of both her and the boy, it was Wataru who was there, greeting her with a wave.</p>
<p>“Ehehe, sorry to disappoint you.” Wataru said, Miku shaking her head.</p>
<p>“N-No, I’m sorry about that! I was just, well… expecting her is all.” Miku sighed as Wataru sat down next to her, the boy already pulling around the bag he had with him. “I’m sorry, it’s noting big. We were going to come together but something came up. I hope she’ll make it in time but… part of my says she won’t.”</p>
<p>“Well I’m sure Hibiki would definitely show up if she could.” Wataru said, Miku nodding. “There’s this odd vibe in the air tonight though. I can’t shake it really, but something about it seems… off. I was gonna just go to bed early but then, well, I decided to come out here even if I was gonna be alone. Though I suppose now neither of us are.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I suppose so.” Miku said, looking surprised when Wataru pulled out a somewhat expensive looking video camera from the bag he had. “How much was that?!”</p>
<p>“Hm? Oh my mom gave it to me as a gift for when we go on our second year trip later this year. She figured I should get some practice in with it before then and record some good stuff. So I figured since I was coming here, might as well use it to record the shooting stars.” Wataru said, then chuckling. “If you’d like I can send you a copy of the video so you can share it with Hibiki. Your phone’s camera won’t be able to capture shooting stars, going by the model you have. There isn't really enough light for that. Would hate for you to go and show her and for the image to turn out bad huh?”</p>
<p>“Thanks.” Miku nodded, her glum look turning back into a smile while Wataru started setting up the camera. It was easy to relax around Wataru, that was for sure. He just gave an air of friendliness that made it easy not to worry and think things would just improve. Miku got the same kind of feeling from Hibiki when she thought about it… both of them were like rays of sunshine that warmed you up just by being there. “So… I know it might sound weird to ask, but, how is it trying to get through to Kenzaki?”</p>
<p>“I uh… kinda stumbled over a surprise speed bump.” Wataru said, giving a sigh as he leaned back on his hands. “See we sorta went to the same middle school, and, well… because Ritsudo was at that concert two years ago, let’s just say a lot of people didn’t like him afterwards. We were in different classes though, so I never really talked with him much at the time… I knew he wound up hurt because of what happened, so it’s why I try so hard now. But, well… haagh, I really need to learn to be better with my timing, I brought it up earlier today and he just sorta snapped at me for it. I’m not gonna give up of course but… now I wonder if there’s even a way for me to get through. There has to be one.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure you’ll find a way.” Miku said, giving a small fist pump. “I don’t get the best of vibes from Kenzaki but… I don’t think he’s a bad person at heart. Still though… sometimes it feels like the world can be against you huh?”</p>
<p>“I suppose it can.” Wataru nodded as he gave a sigh. Of course he wasn’t deterred, if anything now he was only even more assured he <em>had </em>to try and get through to Ritsudo. Letting someone be so lonely… that would be like damning them to hell for no reason. It wasn’t right for someone to be in that kind of situation, and nobody trying to help. “But I also have the feeling Ritsudo has plenty of people who want to help him… I think he just needs a nudge, or even a push, to start seeing that they mean well by it.”</p>
<p>“You know… that concert reminds me of how Hibiki was after it too.”</p>
<p>“Eh?! She was there?!”</p>
<p>“Yeah. We were actually going to go together, but some family things came up and I had to miss it. Maybe I’m lucky I did, knowing what happened. But, for a while after it, when I finally got back to school, she was different. She was quiet, sullen… she didn’t want to talk about her family anymore, and she kept trying to avoid people. I did my best to help her, you know, hang out with her, just talk… it took a few months but eventually she was back to the bright, sunny Hibiki I know.” Miku then sighed deeply, leaning on her knees. “But it feels like she tries too hard sometimes. She’s always helping others, but never seems to focus on herself. I feel like Hibiki has so many problems, and she just won’t talk about them with me.”</p>
<p>“Well then, if you find the right time, ask her about it.” Wataru said, holding up a finger. “Friends can get through anything no matter how rough it gets. I feel like Hibiki has a good reason for not telling you say, why she’s always out late or what that “job” is. And if it’s about her own problems, then find a good time to ask her about it, when you think it would be good to do so, and not potentially make things odd… trust me I’m not sure I’m gonna be able to bring things up with Ritsudo for a while after that little stunt of mine. But, keep at it, cause any kind of help can open up even the hardest of locks on a person’s heart! You just gotta know when to use it.”</p>
<p>“Wataru-kun… yeah… yeah I get what you mean.” Miku nodded, giving an assuredly winning smile. “Then I’ll do just that. Hibiki’s my friend, so of course I’ll trust her. Even if I have to wait, I’ll ask her about it when the time is right.</p>
<p>“Good to hear… now it should be about time!” Wataru pressed the camera to start recording, and right on cue, flaring lights began streaking overhead and through the sky, causing the moonlit night sky to light up even more in arcs of white. The faces of both teenagers lit up as they watched the display, the falling stars reflecting into their eyes as they watched the scene. Miku looked away from the stars for a moment, just a moment, at the face of the boy now literally with stars in his eyes. A sudden jolt of warmth shot through her chest as she looked at that expression, shining eyes and a bright smile. Her mind wandered to Hibiki again… but then that this was a different feeling. It was a similar feeling, but of a different kind altogether. And it only got a bit worse as Wataru looked at her and gave that smile of his own right at her, Miku’s face turning bright red and then right back up to try and hide the expression.</p>
<p>Miku wasn’t the only one who felt oddly warm, because Wataru immediately went red faced himself in that same moment, also looking away. On a night where others had fallen to pain and been thrown for a loop as their very minds had been attacked, two others stumbled onto the exact opposite kind of sensations as the others had.</p>
<hr/>
<p>And this night under the shooting stars would end with one other change occurring as well. Within the medical room he was in, Ritsudo finally stirred awake from his comatose state. His head throbbed as he sat up, and he put a hand to his face as he groaned, feeling his body aching all over… yet he felt weird at the same time. Like something had been lifted off of him after ages of weighing him down. The sensation confused him, the boy looking over to see Murakumo in pendant form on the table near him, a dull glow about it at the time.</p>
<p>But even odder for him, was when he looked further and to the windows, at the sky and city past it. For the first time in two years, it looked different. For the first time since his world had become grey, Ritsudo’s eyes went wide… because now, for once, the sky to him, the sky dancing with quickly fading lights across dark blue, and the city that defied the shadow of night, for the first time, that view looked beautiful to him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Aria of Soul</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Koto’s mind was able to trace back to it easily, to five years ago. At that time, the situation had been far different for them. That time five years ago when he and Kanade had first met. At that time the girl had been like a wouned animal, thrashing around, filled with anger and hate. He first saw her when due to her state, the girl had to be forcibly restrained and kept tight on the chair. With him at the time was Genjurro, and the younger Kyomei and Tsubasa sticking near him, and a few other officials with them, giving the rundown of Kanade’s situation as the wild girl thrashed and screamed.</p>
<p>“Let me go damn it, let me go!” Kanade’s voice was hoarse from how much she’d been screaming, and her expression was just as violent. Koto, on an impulse, gestured for Kyomei and Tsubasa to move behind him a bit more.</p>
<p>“She’s the girl in the report?” Genjurro asked, one of the men in suits nearby nodding.</p>
<p>“Amou Kanade, age fourteen. Sole survivor of the Relic excavation team at Minakami Mountain in Nagano.” The suit said, Koto glancing at the man and then back to Kanade. “The attack occurred on a weekend, so her family probably took her to the excavation site. That’s when the attack occurred.”</p>
<p>This situation was far different. Tsubasa and Kyomei were here, testing how to use a Symphogear, because since they were small their potentials had been well known. Kanade was here because she lost her family to the Noise. Koto was somehow unique in that regard. Until a year prior to this point, his life had been normal, but his family had always had connections to the government. It was in effect sheer luck it had been found out he had potential as an Adaptor, the technical term for Symphogear users in general.</p>
<p>“You’re fighting the Noise, right?” Kanade said, desperation in her voice. “Then give me a weapon! Give me the power to kill them all!”</p>
<p>“You’re not gonna get anywhere with that idea if you thrash around like that.” Koto said, speaking up and stepping forward. “If you want to fight the Noise, it’s gonna take a lot y’know?”</p>
<p>“Like I care! Just give me something to fight, let me get rid of them myself!” Kanade screamed, Koto sighing, looking at Genjurro.</p>
<p>“I’m sure it’s painful, but please tell me what happened when the Noise attacked you.” Genjurro stepped forward and knelt down to be at eye level with Kanade, the girl giving a small growl. “We will avenge your family.”</p>
<p>“Don’t be stupid old man! I’m the only one who can avenge them! Let me kill the Noise!” Kanade snapped, and Koto sighed, earning a glare from the girl. “What’s your deal huh?!”</p>
<p>“Anger won’t get you anywhere. You’ll only get yourself hurt if you go into this battlefield with that mindset.” Koto said, pocketing his hands. “You’ll just be walking into hell with us.”</p>
<p>“If I can kill them, then I’d be happy to go to hell.” Kanade said, Koto sighing again as Genjurro looked at him. A moment after, the man nodded, and to Kanade’s visible surprise, he pulled the girl into a hug, Koto giving a smile.</p>
<p>“Hope you’re ready for a rough time. Welcome to the family.” Koto said, patting Kanade on the head after Genjurro moved back. “The name’s Hidaka Kotone, but everyone here just calls me Koto. And the two back there are Aikawa Kyomei and Kazanari Tsubasa, get along with them, alright?”</p>
<p>“Again, what’s your deal?” Kanade muttered, Koto chuckling.</p>
<p>“I’m just a reliable older brother, that’s all.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>From that point on, Kanade’s path was clear. The Third Relic, Gungnir, the other Harmonic Relic within the 2<sup>nd</sup> Unit’s possession to have had it’s possessed shards converted into a usable Symphogear form, but currently without somebody to use it. Their hope was to try and find someone with natural resonance despite the rarity, as while it was more far flung it was also a safer bet.</p>
<p>But now there was someone who wanted a weapon, and they had one. But doing so wouldn’t be simple for Kanade. Unlike the other three, she lacked that natural level of resonance she would need to activate Gungnir. Through rigorous training and injections of the drug known as LiNKER, they were going to attempt to artificially raise Kanade’s Resonance Ratio… the problem was, if this went wrong, the results would be disastrous.</p>
<p>Koto and the other two were there to watch with Genjurro on the day of the deciding test, Ryouko on the side and monitoring things as the Gungnir’s pendant was also kept nearby. Things were silent up to the point when Kanade was injected, and her shut eyes immediately shot open as she began screaming in agony, only kept from flying off the table by the restraints keeping her locked down.</p>
<p>Koto glanced down and saw that blood was starting to come from Genjurro’s hand as the man clenched his fist tightly, and Koto was rolling the pendant for Ruyi Jingu Bang in his fingers. He didn’t feel uneasy about this despite the sight of the agonized girl in front of him. Rather, something in him felt assured, like this <em>would </em>work, somehow, someway.</p>
<p>“It’ll be fine.” Koto said, Genjurro looking at the boy, who turned at him and smiled. “It’ll work out somehow, I can just feel it.”</p>
<p>“Hehe, well, I have yet to have a reason to doubt your intuition yet.” Genjurro said, but then sighing. “We’ll stop here for now, Ryouko?”</p>
<p>“Alright.” Ryouko pressed a button to stop the test, and gave a sigh of her own. “All of this and she still can’t use it. I don’t know <em>how </em>you can be some confident, Koto-kun.”</p>
<p>“I really don’t know myself. But, she wants to keep trying, so I don’t think we shouldn’t <em>not </em>support her in that choice.” Koto said, Ryouko chuckling.</p>
<p>Though any mood was cut right through as loud crashing pulled their attention back, and Kanade was rising up with another injector of LiNKER, a manic look in her eyes as she pressed it to her neck.</p>
<p>“Don’t!” Genjurro shouted. His urgency came for a reason. While LiNKER could help one achieved Resonance even if their natural ability was low, it had a massive drawback in that aside from a limited usage time, it also had the potential to cause an overdose. If one pushed it too far, they could very well tear their own body to shreds in the process.</p>
<p>“’All of this’? Come on now!” Kanade chuckled as she stood up, pressing the button on the injector, Kyomei and Tsubasa gasping as the girl lurched, but the smile on her face was downright manic. “Let’s get the party started again, Ryouko-san.”</p>
<p>And that was when lights began to blare, Ryouko looking back to her screen, her eyes going wide.</p>
<p>“Her compatibility numbers are rising rapidly. They’ve passed stage one and two. Now they’re stage three?”</p>
<p>Koto looked from Ryouko and back to Kanade the girl grasping at her throat as she started to gag, and when she put her hands to her mouth, a torrent of blood splashed past her hands, Kyomei and Tsubasa jumping behind Koto and Genjurro at the sight as it just didn’t stop, even the scientists in the lab looking on in horror.</p>
<p>“What are you doing, get the neutralizers!” Genjurro shouted, the scientists nodding as they were pulled out of their shocked stupor. “Get that stuff out of her body right now!”</p>
<p>The panic though was cut through when a sudden burst in the air blew the doctors down to the floor. Koto looked to his hand as he felt a vibration running up his arm, seeing his pendant giving off a faint golden glow as it also gave a faint ring in the air. Kanade’s hand then rose up, her blood covered palm slapping onto the glass of the viewing space, sliding back down as Kanade gave a laugh.</p>
<p>“I’ve got it…” The girl laughed again, and the Gungnir too began to glow off in it’s field.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Croitzell ronzell Gungnir zizzl.”</em>
</p>
<p>Kanade was surrounded by streams of light as she stood back up, a hand clenched down.</p>
<p>“This is the power that will let me fight them…” And the light then burst away, Kanade standing bloodied but strong in the armor of the Gungnir. “My Symphogear!”</p>
<p>Koto and the other two users were staring widely at the sight. Their powers had been acquired by chance, by the luck of the draw blessing them with the ability to use these Relics without any excessive danger. Yet this girl grabbed ahold of that power through blood and vomit, forcing herself to that threshold by pure force of will alone.</p>
<p>And from that point on, clad in their Symphogears, the four would become warriors battling against the Noise…</p>
<p>Koto sighed to himself as the memory before him faded to black, the scenery around him changing once more… and this time, he found himself at that day two years ago, with the sun painting the sky amber, and the ash of the Noise drifting in the air.</p>
<p>“KANADE!” Koto’s voice split the air as he dropped his staff and dashed towards Kanade, catching the girl as she fell. She was already looking visibly weaker, Kanade’s eyes starting to darken as Tsubasa and Kyomei ran over.</p>
<p>“Kanade?!” Tsubasa gasped, Kanade’s blank eyes shifting around.</p>
<p>“Where are you guys? It’s so dark, I can’t see your faces…” Kanade weakly muttered, Koto gasping.</p>
<p>“No way… Kanade, c’mon…” Koto murmured, Kanade letting out a weak chuckle.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry… seems this is gonna be out last gig… hey, Koto… you’re there too, right?” Kanade asked, weakly moving a hand over and <em>just </em>brushing Koto’s arm, and he quickly grabbed her hand, “Ah… there you are…”</p>
<p>“Of course I’m here… no way this is the last show.” Koto muttered, Kanade weakly chuckling again.</p>
<p>“How did I do… huh?”</p>
<p>“You’re concerned with that right now?” Koto responded, unable to hide the torn expression on his face, Kyomei’s stunned horror visible on his face.</p>
<p>“Why? Why are you saying that? That’s cruel!” Tsubasa sobbed, Kanade just managing to turn her blank gaze to the girl.</p>
<p>“Then you’re a crybaby…” Kanade murmured, closing her eyes for a moment.</p>
<p>“I just want you to sing with me forever!” Tsubasa sobbed, Kyomei moving over and putting a hand on her shoulder, the girl shuddering in sobs as she then buried her face in Kyomei’s chest.</p>
<p>“Did you know Tsubasa? When you sing as hard as you can… you get really hungry.” Kanade murmured, her head lulling over to face Koto, despite not being able to see him, “Koto… you there?”</p>
<p>“Yeah… course I am. Since when have I not?” Koto stated, a weak attempt at keeping his usual smile failing.</p>
<p>“You… owe me y’know?” Kanade murmured, Koto frozen as her hand weakly moved up to his cheek, managing to pull him down for a kiss, Koto stuck in that moment, all of them were, things seeming to slow as Kanade then went limp, her arm falling and her head lulling back, and right before the three, her body faded away, crumbling like the victims of Noise, blowing away in the wind…</p>
<p>“KANADE!” Koto and Tsubasa screamed at the same time, anguish splitting through their voices as the air echoed through with it, Kyomei trying to be the calm one but failing just as badly as the other two.</p>
<p>The scene then faded again, and Koto sighed as the space around him turned into the apartment he used to know well enough, the young man sighing as he sat down on the couch.</p>
<p>“How many more times? How many more times am I going to keep seeing those scenes again before I’ve finally become settled with all of it.” Koto folded his hands as he looked out of the window, giving a click of his tongue. Still he remained, in this false world he knew damn well existed only deep inside of his mind. “But… in a way you could say I damned myself to this.”</p>
<p>
  <em>“Just a bit more time. Take the time you need. My goals still have yet to be fulfilled.”</em>
</p>
<p>“So you keep saying.” Koto glanced back, a shadowing figure standing behind him now. “You ran into them right?”</p>
<p>
  <em>“I did. They’re fine… and there’s two others now as well. Also, don’t be so glum… some help is about to arrive soon.”</em>
</p>
<p>The figure faded with that remark, Koto giving a sigh again… though his eyes then widened when, somehow, a feather suddenly drifted down in front of him, a feather colored bright orange, and glowing like a flame.</p>
<p>“No way…”</p>
<hr/>
<p>Of the various things Kyomei did in order to clear his mind, archery was chief among those. While reading did often help, this action, one that required complete concentration and focus, help him clear his mind when it was troubled. As opposed to his typically in-the-fray style of fighting, his practice with traditional Japanese archery brought on a different feeling. The stillness in the air as he readied the arrow in total silence, the weight he felt on his arms as he pulled the bowstring back until his hand reached his cheek, everything tunneling down as his eyes focused onto the target down the range until it was all that was in sight for him.</p>
<p>With a release of breath, Kyomei loosed the arrow. And to his annoyance, while he did hit the target, it wasn’t a dead-on bullseye. His years of using Gandiva had trained his precision to beyond even a master who’d been in practice for their whole lives, such was the boon an Adaptor had when they kept on using their Symphogear. So, the fact he missed in such a manner showed Kyomei his mind still wasn’t entirely clear, because of course it wasn’t.</p>
<p>He’d spent the entirety of the previous night staying in the hospital wing where Tsubasa was, but by the time morning had come, he of course had to carry on himself. He could return later, but it also wouldn’t do him any good to stow himself away there and not do anything for potential days on end.</p>
<p>“She’d probably just yell at me if she found out I spent that much time just sitting there instead of doing something.” Kyomei gave a bitter chuckle as he set the bow down and got to cleaning the area up as his thoughts continued to run. Part of him wanted to keep on the fact that what Tsubasa had done felt, in effect, entirely stupid and reckless, unnecessary even. But, all the same, what he’d gotten out of it after forcing the Synchronization… perhaps it had caught him off guard. “Until she wakes up, I’ve gotta stay strong… I know she’ll come back, not a doubt in my mind.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>The time was around the same as it was when Kyomei was trying to clear his head. Hibiki had gone down to the HQ, and was now seated with Genjurro and Ryouko, the latter going over data about what had happened in the previous battle. Now they had to worry about someone using a completed Relic against them, plus another who wielded another Relic of immense power alongside of it. Two incredibly dangerous enemies had made themselves known, yet they hardly knew what it is they were up to, plus the fact they had something that let them summon and seemingly control Noise.</p>
<p>“What worries me the most is that the girl in the Nehushtan armor said they were after Hibiki and Ritsudo.” Genjurro finished the go-over with that remark, leaning on his hands.</p>
<p>“What that means is an open question… well, I can understand with Ritsudo-kun, considering he wields Ame-no-Murakumo. It’s nature <em>would </em>draw those wanting to claim it to him.” Ryouko said, tapping away at her tablet. “But as for Hibiki…”</p>
<p>“No, if they’re aware of who she is, then it means they’re aware of the 2<sup>nd</sup> Unit.” Genjurro said.</p>
<p>“A traitor then?” said Sakuya.</p>
<p>“How did this happen?” said Aoi, and then Hibiki gave a long sigh.</p>
<p>“This is my fault.” Hibiki said, her look downwards and shaded over. “It’s all my fault. Two years ago, and now this… Because I was always so weak, Tsubasa-san, Kyomei-san, and now even Ritsudo-san… even with a power as strong as the Symphogear, I still wasn’t good enough.” And then she got up to leave, her face still downwards. “Tsubasa-san was crying… she didn’t fight because she was strong… she was crying this whole time, but hiding it… and Ritsudo-san, he fought even though he hates this world… and even with his own pain, Kyomei-san kept trying because he wanted to help Tsubasa-san… all of them, crying tears of frustration, anger, resolve… “</p>
<p>She then sucked in a breath and turned around, even with tears in her eyes, Hibiki was trying to look strong too.</p>
<p>“I have things I want to protect too! So…”</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Hibiki?”</p>
<p>Hibiki snapped out of her thoughts as Miku saying her name cut in. At this time she was on the roof again, thinking about all the things that had happened as of late and what had gone down. It had sent her mind into a turbulent mess and she just couldn’t think of a way to solve things, yet… but there had to be some way to do it. Hibiki turned, and she felt relief at seeing her best friend there to greet her as always.</p>
<p>“Miku…”</p>
<p>“You’ve been spending a lot more time on your own, haven’t you?”</p>
<p>“You think so? Not really. I can’t do anything by myself… I mean, I only came to this school because you said you were. Plus, the tuition here is like, really cheap! So I thought I wouldn’t cause any trouble for my mom and grandma.”</p>
<p>As Hibiki was talking, Miku sat down beside her friend. This was how Hibiki tended to be, if you pressed her even a bit on an issue she’d start spouting off like that. But, Miku knew better, grabbing Hibiki’s hand, and the other girl immediately went quiet.</p>
<p>“I can’t hide anything from you, can I?”</p>
<p>“Because you’re forcing yourself, Hibiki.”</p>
<p>“Hmm… but, I’m sorry. Let me think for myself a bit more. This is something I need to think about.”</p>
<p>“All right.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, Miku.”</p>
<p>“You know, Hibiki…” Miku then stood up, putting her arms behind her back. “No matter how much you worry or fret about something, even if the answer you find takes you forward, always stay who you are, Hibiki.”</p>
<p>“Stay who I am?”</p>
<p>“Yep. If, instead of changing, you can stay Hibiki, I’ll support you. Because no one can replace you.” Miku then gave a small chuckle, Hibiki tilting her head. That kind of action somehow made it clear Miku had thought of something else as well. “And don’t worry, even if you have some kind of problem or issue you can’t tell me about right now, I promise I’ll be waiting for when you’re ready to do so. So, at least for me, don’t change, alright?”</p>
<p>“Can I… really just stay myself?”</p>
<p>“Hibiki should just be Hibiki.” Miku’s reaffirmation of the point made a wave of relief come over Hibiki, her eyes going wider as she also felt realization come about her. She stood up, looking from Miku and to the part of the school were she knew that at this time, Ritsudo and Tsubasa were, both in their own situations. She then turned and looked out over the school grounds, giving a smile as she also clenched a fist, giving herself a nod.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Miku. I think I can keep going forward, and still be myself.” Hibiki said, Miku nodding, then pulling out her phone.</p>
<p>“Do you want to see the Lyrid Meteor Shower? I have a video of it on my phone.” Miku got a hearty reply from Hibiki the second she said that, Hibiki went wide eyed. “I was going to try and record it with my phone itself, but there wasn’t enough light.”</p>
<p>“Ehhh? But then how did you get this video, it looks so good!” Hibiki said, her eyes sparkling as she watched the record of the shooting stars on the screen.</p>
<p>“Well I did see the show but, well… the video was sent to me actually. By Wataru-san, he’s the one who made that recording with a better camera.” Miku said, Hibiki tilting her head as Miku showed a blush coming to her face as she then looked to the side.</p>
<p>“Wait… so he recorded it too… wait, was Wataru-senpai at the show too?” Hibiki asked, and she didn’t even need to get a verbal answer because Miku’s face got even redder, the girl turning around to try and hide it. “Miku? Why are you so embarrassed? Did something happen when you were there?”</p>
<p>“N-Nothing, nothing at all! We just watched the show together… and maybe had dinner afterwards but it’s not like it was a date!”</p>
<p>Miku’s clear embarrassment brought two things about from Hibiki. One was an odd pang in her chest, but another was another feeling of relief. She started laughing at the rare sight that was seeing Miku being flustered, of all the people she knew who could get like that. And that laughter got Miku to switch gears too, the girl pouting a bit.</p>
<p>“Are you making fun of me Hibiki?”</p>
<p>“No, not at all! I just can’t stop! I feel so much better now.” Hibiki wiped some tears from her eyes as her laughing managed to slow down. “Next time, let’s go see the shooting stars together, it’ll be a promise I won’t miss!”</p>
<p>“It’s a promise for sure.” Miku replied, Hibiki nodding and turning as the air shifted around, looking out at the area around here, at this completely normal and ordinary place.</p>
<p><em>“I have things I want to protect too. The only things I can protect are silly promises and a quiet, everyday life. Even so, in order to protect the things I want to protect, I want to stay myself and still get stronger.” </em>Hibiki put a hand to her chest as she thought, thinking about the other faint, but now warm feeling there too… she didn’t feel that disconcerting dark pressure anymore… it was confused, but now it felt warm. <em>“I wonder if Ritsudo-san has realized something too… maybe he can find what it is he wants to protect… maybe he can stop hating this world, and see just how pretty it is.”</em></p>
<hr/>
<p>“Man that girl has a lot of energy. Well, training will be a good thing for Hibiki… and Kyomei seems to be settled down as well… he’ll be fine. But, as for the last kid to deal with.”</p>
<p>Genjurro stopped at the door that was for the medical room Ritsudo was staying in. The man gave a low hum for a moment, then stepping in anyway. The room seemed empty, and for a moment he almost thought Ritsudo might have left, butt, luckily the boy was just sitting up on the windowsill, staring out at the now evening lit city spread before them, which Lydian’s position made for quite the great view of.</p>
<p>“I didn’t think you were the type to look like you’re enjoying a view, Ritsudo-kun.” Genjurro set down a bag of items he was carrying as Ritsudo gave a small hum of reply, and Genjurro also noticed how he’d left his headphones laying on the bed, something of an odd sight for sure. “I brought some things for you to eat, figured you would be hungry about now. After today they should let you back to your dorm, since you’re in a good condition… though after going wild like that, they may want to run tests… Ritsudo?”</p>
<p>“I’m listening.” Ritsudo said, turning around. Genjurro almost gasped when he saw that while Ritsudo’s eyes still looked dulled, they didn’t look outright <em>dead </em>anymore… they weren’t the eyes of someone without real life in them anymore, rather, the eyes of a person visibly trying to process their own torrent of emotions… there was sorrow in his eyes, but, also hope, like the smallest spark of a fire had finally been lit.</p>
<p>“Do you even remember what happened back there?” Genjurro asked, Ritsudo nodding, his eyes shading over.</p>
<p>“Yeah… I went totally wild… I even… I even attacked someone who wasn’t an enemy because of it.” Ritsudo put his left hand to his right arm as its hand started shaking, the boy clenching his fist to a close, but the shudders were still there. “And it felt so… felt so <em>terrible… </em>before everything felt dull but when that happened it was like… I can’t describe it. It was just dark, smothering… I felt like I was going insane because of it.”</p>
<p>“We don’t know just what was able to cause that. Perhaps it’s some self-defensive mechanism within the Symphogears, or maybe it has to do with the unique nature of Ame-no-Murakumo.” Genjurro sat down on the wall lining seating near Ritsudo, the boy looking back out of the window. “If you want to take some time off of participating in Noise operations, then feel free. I don’t want you to go into battle if you’re not able, your safety comes first and foremost.”</p>
<p>Ritsudo jumped a bit as that was said by the man. His breathing picked up a bit as his hands shakes got worse. His mind was a mess now… like before where it used to feel like his emotions were just dulled, the same went for the intents of others. Before he probably would have brushed Genjurro’s statement off, pushed it aside by thinking that of course he would think that, the Symphogears were too valuable to lose their users… but no, now Ritsudo could tell what the man meant. That the safety of the Adaptors, of they four young teenagers forced to fight a battle that the adults surely would if they had to ability, was something Genjurro would put above anything else.</p>
<p>“Why?” Ritsudo muttered, grating his teeth as he tried to steady himself. “Why do you care so much? I’m just some unlucky brat who had the worst run of luck ever… everybody else abandoned me, my own family threw me to the side… so why do you people keep trying to help me? What am I worth to you?”</p>
<p>“Whoever said you had to have “worth” to matter to people?” said the older man, Ritsudo flinching again. “I’m an adult, helping kids out, looking after them, is what I’m supposed to do. I don’t need a reason to want to help you. I help because I’m doing what any good adult should. The people who didn’t failed in that regard. What kids need when they’re in a hard time isn’t to be ignored or just left on their own, it’s to be given a helping hand so that they can learn how to move forward on their own two feet and become adults to.”</p>
<p>“So then why didn’t anyone try back then?!” Ritsudo shouted, no more hiding the pained emotions in his voice as he yelled, and Genjurro saw the tears falling from the boy’s face. “I’m just like everybody else, I get hurt, I have emotions too! Back when my parents died, when I lost my friends at that concert! All people did was ignore how much I’d been hurt, all they cared about was themselves! They didn’t care that I was a victim too, all they cared about was how much those things effected them! Nobody spared a moment to think maybe I was hurting just as much as they were!”</p>
<p>Those words held years of pent up feelings in them. All of it was sorrow, rage, and anguish packed into a single, burning hot package. Ritsudo’s feelings themselves were finally coming through, the boy even moving from the window and onto his feet as he shouted, but the pained expression on his face told just as much if not more than his words. For years he had forced the pain down, dulled it and shut away the world… yet now all of it was back, showing in the tears rolling down his face… yet again, that spark of light was there too. It was obvious that for as pained as he was at this time, something was there, something that needed the right spark to grow brighter. This broken boy’s cold heart could turn into a bright blaze.</p>
<p>“This world is a very confusing one.” Genjurro said, standing up, Ritsudo gasping when the man pulled him into a hug, taking a moment as Ritsudo’s shuddering began to slow before moving back, leaving his hands on Ritsudo’s shoulders in a gentle hold. “And sometimes this world can also be very cruel. And despite that this world is also one where people can be just as kind, and you’ve met many of people like that already. You just have to be willing to let them in. But being willing is also a thing you yourself must achieve. And don’t think you don’t have worth. A person’s worth isn’t measured by some arbitrary idea someone else might state, it’s something you yourself decide, and I believe no human is worthless.”</p>
<p>“But I… all I’ve done is…”</p>
<p>“Then change that, starting now.” Genjuuro’s hold tightened a bit, and Ritsudo gasped again, his eyes wide as he looked down. “It’s never too late to get back up and move forward. You still have time to change and grow, to stop letting your past hold you down and instead grab your future with both hands. I believe the Ame-no-Murakumo chose you for a reason. The song you sing may be one filled with sadness, but it’s also a song that cries out for change, and most importantly, a song that refuses to stop living. Ritsudo, listen to your heart and what it’s song says and <em>live. </em>Become a flame as bright as any other, because something that can move you forward, something that can help you restore your “worth”, already found you.”</p>
<p>“My song is… is about living.” Ritsudo started shaking again, wrapping his arms around himself as at the same time, ringing from Murakumo changed to sound in his head, hearing that song echoing in his mind, of a phrase from it ringing in his head, spreading all across him like a rising flame.</p>
<p>
  <em>~But regardless we live on frantically - Shouldering our lives, frantically, we live - killing, struggling, laughing, shouldering it all. Living, living, living, living - LIVING ON!~</em>
</p>
<p>“I have to… I have to keep living…” Ritsudo muttered those words out shakily as his voice broke, and finally, for what had to have been the first time in years, the boy broke out in loud sobs, wailing as Genjurro pulling him back into a hug, letting the boy cry as no doubt those years of pain were finally able to come out in a natural way. It would of course be difficult to move forward, one couldn’t simply move past such things so easily… but finally, finally Ritsudo was taking the first steps he needed to. His tears were sorrowful but also of relief, because finally, finally someone wasn’t disregarding them, not denying his own pain and humanity, someone who actually cared, and now he was willing to let that happen.</p>
<p>It took some time of course, but eventually Ritsudo calmed down, and once he did he and Genjurro sat down again, the man keeping a hand on the boy’s back as he wiped away the last of the tears on his face, his eyes quite red because of it. But, Genjurro could see it was like a weight had finally been lifted off of Ritsudo, something about him seemed lighter than it had before.</p>
<p>“It’s going to be quite the road ahead of you.” Genjurro said, Ritsudo nodding. “And if you feel like it, I’ve started to train Hibiki. If you want to, stop by and you can join in with her. But, take whatever time you need.”</p>
<p>Ritsudo just nodded, Genjurro patting him on the back before standing up and leaving, not another word needing to be said. Ritsudo took a breath, looking back out at the now even darker twilight painting the sky.</p>
<p>“It’s not like I can do it that easily…” Ritsudo muttered, giving a chuckle, then looking at the bag Genjurro had left, checking it and letting out a small breath as he saw all the foodstuffs in it, a little smile coming to his face. “What the hell old man… you actually paid attention to what I liked? I’d nearly forgotten myself.”</p>
<p>Ritsudo chuckled a bit as he then picked the bag up and grabbed his headphones, poking his head out of the room for a moment to see if anyone was present. His goal was pretty simple of course, just heading back to his dorm. Thanks to the time of day, not a lot of people were around so he was able to get there quickly without really crossing paths with anybody. And if anyone had seen him they probably would have assumed he was just on his way back from being in town or something.</p>
<p>And it was when he did get to his room Ritsudo almost double took as he went in. He was actually surprised at seeing just how much of a mess the place was, looking around the main living area and back to the kitchen, giving a groan.</p>
<p>“It’s this messy? I never… no, it’s not that I didn’t realize it… I just didn’t care.” Ritsudo sighed as he moved through the mess of clothes on the floor and brushed aside some things from the table, setting the bag down, then turning again when he heard a loud thud and some crashing, grumbling again as he saw a box that had been carelessly shoved away in the lower bunk had fallen out and spilled it’s contents onto the floor. “Crap…”</p>
<p>Stepping from the lower area and to the new mess, Ritsudo started cleaning the dropped mess up and putting things back into the box. It was mostly inane things he’d probably forgotten he even had, though some brought amusement to him, mainly the toy belt item from one of the older shows he was now remembering he watched as a kid, the classic hero type shows.</p>
<p>“I remember this bulky thing… this one was my favorite Rider.” Ritsudo hummed as he turned the belt toy over, thinking there was definitely no way now that even with how thin he was he could possibly make the normal plastic belt parts fit on him. He was also fiddling with one of the items from said show, a card like item that he was shifting the flip-around part on, the trinket colored red and marked in a falcon. “And you were for my favorite form… well, aside from the final one… can’t believe I still have all these things, I’ve even got all the extra stuff from the movies.”</p>
<p>He actually gave a small laugh as he kept putting things back into the box, though one thing that was left caught his eye before he tossed it back in. It seemed like a CD, though the case didn’t have a cover he could see on it from it being upside down. When he flipped it over to see what it could be, he assumed just a soundtrack CD or something, his eyes went wide. Because written on the disc in attempting to be neat handwriting, was a few simple characters that read “Hey Future Me.”</p>
<p>“What is…” Ritsudo stopped himself. There was really only one way to do so. He went to his computer and took the disc out, setting it into the disc drive and sliding it shut. He waited as the computer started booting the video player while he also plugged in his headphones… and he stopped dead as the video started.</p>
<p>As it played, a shaky camera was being set up, small mutters coming about before it was finally put into a stable place after something, probably a tripod, was clicked onto it. And then coming into frame and adjusting it a bit more, was Ritsudo, as he was years ago, barely even eleven or twelve by the looks of it, his short hair shifting around as he checked the camera again, and around his waist the same toy belt the current Ritsudo had just finished cleaning the things up for. The young Ritsudo looked off the frame for a moment, and then nodded as a small smile came to him, then clearing his throat and waving.</p>
<p>“Hey, me in the future!” His young voice was much lighter, brighter… the child self Ritsudo saw before him couldn’t look any happier than he already did. “Sooo… mom and dad said I should do this, dunno why but, it actually seems fun. I wonder when I, uh… me… you? Whatever, just watch it when we’re older or something!”</p>
<p>Ritsudo then paused the video before it continued, taking in a hissing breath as he put a hand to his mouth. He turned away, his breathing shaky again, and then that familiar ringing brought his attention back, looking down as he could see Murakumo’s pendant glowing beneath his shirt.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Don’t stop here. You want to actually move forward, now right? Then this is a step you need to take… keep watching. Don’t forget your past self. Sometimes the zeal of a child can be the best motivator.”</em>
</p>
<p>“Quit sounding so cryptic.” Ritsudo muttered. But, his hand went back to the mouse, tracking it back to the play button, and it’s soft click seemed to echo as he pressed the button down… a first step that felt more like a leap of faith to him… but a leap he was going to take here and now.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. To Become a Hero</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Genjurro gave a hum as he stared out over his yard, the man’s eyes on Hibiki as her fists repeatedly struck a set up punching bag. It had now been about two days since he’d begun training her, and since his talk with Ritsudo. Things had been quiet since then, not a Noise attack in sight to have disrupted anything. It almost felt odd because of how frequent they had been before then, but this shift felt needed. If they had time to recover and regain strength, then it would be enough.</p>
<p>“Master!” Hibiki’s call made Genjurro perk up a bit, the girl stopping her repetitions, turning as she panted. “I know it might be a bit to ask but… what if I asked Ritsudo-san to come here and train with me?”</p>
<p>“I think we should give him a bit more time, Hibiki-kun.” Genjurro folded his hands, Hibiki tilting her head. “I feel when he finally settles his heart, he’ll come around himself. So for now, keep up with the training!”</p>
<p>“Yes sir!” Hibiki nodded and went right on back to training on the bag. She had seen something different these past couple of days in the few silent run ins she’d had with Ritsudo had school. Something about him had definitely been different, the air around him was no longer as cold and sad… but he’d seemed aimless and unsure, like something was whirling around in his mind he didn’t yet have a way to answer. <em>“But… I feel confident he will! It’s that warm feeling in my chest again, I just know he’ll be okay for some reason!”</em></p>
<hr/>
<p>“Coming in.”</p>
<p>Kyomei almost wanted to kick himself at the automatically done courtesy statement as he entered the ICU room. As had been the case since that fight, Tsubasa was in the unit and out cold, the beeping of the monitors being the only things that made it clear the girl was without any doubt alive. Her condition had improved over the past couple of days but the doctors still didn’t know when she’d wake up.</p>
<p>“Even if I have to wait ages, I’ll keep showing up.” Kyomei stepped over to the ICU and put a hand on the glass, letting a breath out. “I just wish I knew what, if anything, was going on in your head right now…”</p>
<p>And that was when a trill caught his attention, Kyomei pulling Gandiva’s pendant out, the item gleaming in his hand. And he also saw a dull red glow under Tsubasa’s hospital gown. Meaning, Gandiva and Ame-no-Habakiri were reacting even now. Feeling like he was being instructed, Kyomei held his own Relic over the other as best as could, and gasped when he felt a sudden sensation of falling.</p>
<p>Everything around him changed in an instant, and it was like his body had become near weightless as the fall slowed as he saw almost nothing but clouds all around him, the air howling through, before suddenly changing as if he was under water.</p>
<p>“Where… where am I now?” Kyomei looked around with his eyes wide in confusion, and as a cry sounded, he looked up, gasping as he saw a bright red dot turn into a shape, a bird with feathers of vermillion red and trailed in fire swooping past him before flitting around and landing on his arm as he stretched it out, and an calming sensation immediately came over him. “Gandiva… did you bring me here? Where is this?”</p>
<p>“We’re inside of the girl’s mind.” The bird spoke in Kyomei’s voice, though the tone was lower, older sounding. “Thanks to you, my connection with the sword was reformed. You broke your way back into her mind. However, both are not well. Look.”</p>
<p>Kyomei looked over when Gandiva gestured with a wing, and the boy gasped again as he saw, floating there without shifting, was another bird of the same kind as Gandiva, it’s feathers blue yet also edged, as if the feathers were also blades. Kyomei’s drifting brought him near the bird, and he gentle picked it up in his hands, a weak crow coming from it.</p>
<p>“Ame-no-Habakiri… you’re just as wounded as Tsubasa, aren’t you?” Kyomei’s look went down a bit as Habakiri sat on his hands, and he saw one of it’s wings wouldn’t move at all despite how it tried… almost as if reflecting it’s owner’s own state of mind. Kyomei saw that even Gandiva looked saddened by the state of it. “A bird with one wing trying to fly… who finally came to the ground.”</p>
<p>“I’ll fly with just one wing! I’ll fly forever!”</p>
<p>“Tsubasa?!”</p>
<p>Kyomei turned as Habakiri went to his other shoulder. He saw Tsubasa off in the distance, her back to him and looking at something he was unable to make out, but clearly it was another person. Kyomei drifted over, but to his surprise, when he tried to touch Tsubasa, his hand went right through her, and he fumbled a bit as the rest of him followed.</p>
<p>“I may have brought you here, but she won’t be able to see or hear you. You may have made your way in, but her heart still closes itself to you.” Gandiva said, Kyomei’s open hand clenching down.</p>
<p>“Yet she tries so hard…” Habakiri spoke too, in Tsubasa’s voice but like with Gandiva, sounding older in tone. “All she wished to do was be strong, to protect what she held dear… but her sorrow led her down a path that made her brittle and weak instead.”</p>
<p>“So smile for me, Kanade!” Tsubasa cried out as she looked up, Kyomei turning around, though the shape now before him too was still almost impossible to make out… yet as he focused it became quite clear, that indeed it was Kanade before him and Tsubasa, the long fallen girl looking back over her shoulder with a sad look in her eyes.</p>
<p>“Is this just part of Tsubasa’s mind… or something else?” Kyomei murmured, trying to reach out as Tsubasa fell downwards, though again his hands phased through her as she tried. “Dammit! Tsubasa!”</p>
<p>“Keep trying, Kyomei.” The boy gasped again and turned when Kanade spoke this time, the girl turning and looking at him with a small smile. “You and I, we both have people we need to help out. Our partners have such fragile hearts, don’t they?”</p>
<p>“No way…” Kyomei muttered, Kanade giving a wave before she floated upwards and vanished in a plume of feathers, Kyomei looking to his hand as one fell into his palm, his fingers closing around it softly.</p>
<p>“Kyomei.” And Habakiri spoke again, Kyomei looking at the bird as she jumped to his closed hand. “Please, I must ask of you: Help heal my wielder’s ailing heart. Take her hand and help her realize she need not close her heart to be strong.”</p>
<p>“Of course.” Kyomei nodded, Gandiva also doing the same motion. “I’m her oldest friend… I’ve stuck with her this long, and I’m not about to leave her alone now… not ever again.”</p>
<p>With a nod from Habakiri, Kyomei felt a sensation like he was lifting up, and he found himself standing again in the ICU room. A warm feeling remained in his palm as he set it down on the glass, and a wistful smile came to his face as he then pulled his hand back and shut it into a closed fist.</p>
<p>“Yeah… never again. Even if you try to push back, I’ll just pull harder. I’ll be the wing you need to fly, Tsubasa… and I’ll make sure you fly higher than anyone else.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>The only sounds Ritsudo had coming into his ears at the time were the sounds of the city itself. His headphones for once remained around his neck even if he had his hood raised. All in order to let himself take in the sounds he’d long since blocked out. The sound of cars passing on the street, the chatter of people talking as they walked along in their normal, bright day. Birds flitting by and dogs or other animals out with their owners making their own noises. And when he looked up, his eyes went past the reaching sky scrapers and to the endless blue sky above, sparse white clouds the same color as his hair drifting through it.</p>
<p>“I’d forgotten… just how much I liked that color… just like my eyes.”</p>
<p>Though in a way he also wished that just perhaps, the weather could be reflecting his mood. As much as good weather was welcoming part of him felt a storm would have far been better for setting a tone. An idea Ritsudo gave a sardonic chuckle to himself over. It wasn’t like the world would just bend over to his whim or anything like that. But staring at the sky made his mind wander, and right now it had one main destination… back to two nights ago, and that video from so long ago as well.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Ritsudo remained silent as he started the video back up, doing his best to remain calm about it, but in a way how could he? He’d totally forgotten this video existed, and now here he was, faced with his self from five or six years ago, who was like him at the moment silent while he contemplated what to say.</p>
<p>“Hmm… well, should I ask a few questions? I guess.” The young Ritsudo then nodded as he adjusted himself, practically unable to sit still in his spot. “Like, hmm… what kind of school am I in now? Is this being watched only a few years from now or when I’m an adult? Also also, how many friends do I have? A lot? A few? Did I start doing sports or am I a bookworm like mom? I know you can’t really answer, future me, but y’know, I’m really super curious how things are for me whenever you’re watching… I’m watching… it’s so confusing!”</p>
<p>Ritsudo felt a bitter twinge in himself as a few of those answers came to mind. He was in a school that primarily taught musically related subjects alongside normal courses, though not really by his own choice. He had no friends to speak of, and both his grades were crap and he didn’t do any clubs either. Staring now at his hopeful child self really put into perspective just where he was now because of the state he’d been in for so long. It almost felt like it wasn’t even <em>him </em>he was watching.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah, I think I got a good one!” The boy then chuckled, reaching to the toy belt and pulling out the item that was slotted into it, showing it off to the camera. “Do we still like heroes? You know, like the ones on TV and stuff, the Riders and the Sentais! The ones always saving the day for people, oh oh, and especially the ones who make people smile!”</p>
<p>“I… don’t really know how to answer that one.” Ritsudo sighed and leaned his hands on his legs. There was a lot of things he knew for a fact he’d stopped finding actual enjoyment in… if anything he before would just let TV shows play, and games hadn’t been fun to him either, just a way to blow time away without a care. “I’ve kinda got a lot of things to sort out though. Not that it’s an excuse… I’ve done enough of that.”</p>
<p>“So, well, however it is… hm? You wanna talk too? Alright! I’ll go get mom too!”</p>
<p>Ritsudo raised a brow as his younger self dashed out of frame, and his eyes widened to the size of plates when someone else entered the view: His father. The man and Ritsudo bore a striking resemblance, though opposed to Ritsudo the man’s hair was ebony black, but they had the exact same sky colored eyes. Ritsudo felt himself starting to shake again as hew, for the first time in years, was actually clearly seeing the face of one of his parents, even if only over a video.</p>
<p>“Hey there Ritsudo, however far ahead the you watching this is. I hope you’re doing well for yourself.” The father gave a wave, Ritsudo bringing a hand to his mouth again. “For how much I wanted to do this I find it kinda funny I don’t have much to say myself either… so how about some advice? I mean I can certainly hope I’m still around to give it to you myself, but let’s call this insurance, alright?”</p>
<hr/>
<p>Ritsudo’s wandering around town had now led him right into the shopping district, which at this time of day was even busier than the outer business area he’d been at, especially since it was the weekend, so you had students from all the different schools in the various wards out and about doing whatever. Arcade packed to full, cafes and other eateries with people mingling at them, activities Ritsudo himself had drained out of. He couldn’t remember when he’d last been in the arcade and actually played with other people for fun and not because someone <em>happened </em>to take the challenging machine across from him, or window shopped to see the latest things, whatever it may have been.</p>
<p>It almost felt foreign for him to be looking at all of this, like he’d stepped into modern society after having lived away from it for so long… which really wasn’t so far from the truth.</p>
<p>And as if by pure random chance of thought, Ritsudo found himself wandering into the music store. It was as expected, CDs and other things lining the displays, posters of various artists be them local or foreign pasted around. Ritsudo almost snickered when he saw one of Tsubasa’s posters on the wall, his eyes scanning over a few other posters as he wandered through the rows of albums and various listening devices.</p>
<p>“Hey, did you see it?! They’re shelving the new album!”</p>
<p>“Whoa seriously? You normally can’t get the physical copies unless you buy them online!”</p>
<p>“Way serious. Even cooler, they’re playing it on the demo headsets!”</p>
<p>Ritsudo stopped his browsing when he heard a couple of students chatting at the demo headphones, one holding a CD with art he couldn’t make out from here. He had no idea who on earth the two could be talking about, but the hints suggested some internet musician, probably one who was also local if they were getting physical CDs sold in a record shop in the main shopping district.</p>
<p>Ritsudo shrugged his shoulders and went to one of the demo headsets, placing it on. The model was actually the same as his current pair, though of a newer make since his were a bit older. He noted the sound cancelling seemed to be better, as the chatter around him immediately dulled down to near complete silence, any background noises completely eliminated. With a breath, because this state just reminded him of where he had previously been mentally, Ritsudo pressed the button to start playing the test track.</p>
<p>And the second the notes started up from a short fade in, it was like Ritsudo could feel a pulse shoot through his body at the moment the introducing violin blending with static noises faded into a drum and piano before other instruments began fading into the mix as well. He immediately felt his mind starting to follow it, the rhythm of the notes and the beats of the bass, the blend of instruments both technological and natural.</p>
<p>“I… I hear it.” Ritsudo was stock still as the song continued on, his eyes wide as his jaw tightened up. He was right on the verge of it because like hell he was going to wind up crying in public, but he nearly couldn’t help it. Somehow, among all the things that had been registering without the dulled sense of them, music was pulling the most out of him here and now. Maybe it was because his life as it was now had made music far more important in the grand scheme, and maybe it was those words of Genjurro’s sticking in his mind as well.</p>
<p>It was when the song ended and Ritsudo took the headphones off though, that the air immediately changed. That ever familiar warning siren went off, people immediately stopping their business and looking up as the automated warning began to go off: Noise had appeared.</p>
<p>As people began running from the stores and running immediately to the shelter doors opening up from various spots on the road, Ritsudo was almost swept up in the crowd as it went outwards, stopping himself, and once he was free enough, he shot off in the other direction of the crowds. He wouldn’t have a clue where any Noise could be though, because an evacuation meant Noise were simply in the area, but as for where they were was another story.</p>
<p>“Dammit, now?! Is this random or because of those other two with that weird staff?!” Ritsudo ducked into an alleyway where it was quiet, reaching to his pocket to grab his communicator… only for his hand to come up empty. “Shit…”</p>
<p>Of course that was the one thing he had wound up forgetting today. Sure his phone could just be used but that communicator was a direct line to find out from the others where any Noise could be. Tsubasa obviously couldn’t be sent out, and not like Ritsudo had any clue where Hibiki and Kyomei were.</p>
<p>“Whatever… I’ll just have to try my luck!” Ritsudo was about to draw out Murakumo, but…</p>
<p>“Mommy! Daddy!”</p>
<p>“Tch… dammit!” Ritsudo clicked his tongue and then ran off the second he heard a child yelling. His run thankfully wasn’t long since the kid’s yelling was clear, and it wasn’t long before he found the kid in a nearly empty urban park area, people so panicked in their rush they hardly noticed the little boy as he kept calling out to parents who had most likely been swept away by the crowd. “Hey kid! Over here!”</p>
<p>Ritsudo’s call managed to get the boy’s attention, his tearful eyes looking to Ritsudo as he came over, stopping and leaning down before him.</p>
<p>“You alright? Get separated form mom and dad?” Ritsudo got a nod, and he nodded in return, and with a quick move pulled his hair back into a tail since running with it loose was going to be stupid of him. “Come on, I’ll carry you on my back so you don’t have to run. Do you know which shelter your parents normally go to if they’re in town?”</p>
<p>“W-When we’re here… we always take the one not far.” The boy managed to sob out, Ritsudo nodding, looking around again. “B-But, the crowd was so big and-and we…”</p>
<p>“Alright, come on, it’ll be fine. You’re a big boy, right? It’s okay to cry, but you gotta be tough to. Hop on, we’ll go find your parents as fast as we can, cool?” Ritsudo got a nod again, and he hoisted the boy, who was thankfully no older than a grade schooler so it was easy, and began trotting off through the crowd, calling out along with the boy as he went in the hopes <em>somebody </em>would respond and be the kid’s parents, or at least someone related to them.</p>
<p>“Come on move please! Got a lost kid here! Hello?! This kid’s parents around?!”</p>
<p>“Mommy! Daddy! I’m over here?! Where are you?!”</p>
<p>Ritsudo sighed in relief as, very quickly right as they were at the entrance to the shelter, a man and woman came rushing through the crowd and out to them, both calling the boy’s name, Ritsudo letting him drop as the kid looked relieved, the child immediately rushing to the adults as they grabbed him.</p>
<p>“Oh thank god someone found you!” The mother had relief all over her face, and the father looked to Ritsudo, who suddenly felt a bit awkward.</p>
<p>“Thank you so much young man. We didn’t mean to get separated, but the crowd was…”</p>
<p>“Don’t act apologetic, you couldn’t help it… I’m just… I’m glad I was able to help.” Ritsudo felt odd even saying that. “Glad to help.” It felt… heavy coming out of his mouth. For so long he’d resented people, pushed them away because for so long had people also done the same to him… yet now not only had he helped another person, child sure but still, out of his own volition on a whim, and <em>now </em>he was also being thanked in earnest for it. It was new, and strange… yet also made him feel a bit warm too.</p>
<p>But the mood in the air only got worse as a series of explosions from the street over on the other side of the buildings sounded, black smoke starting to rise in the air. Ritsudo grit his teeth as people hurried even faster to make it into the shelters, because if <em>that </em>was happening then it meant the Noise were close too. And following suit, Ritsudo ran off again through the opposite way of the crowd, even as people called out to try and stop him, some even trying to grab him, though he shot right past without stopping as he’d already hit a full sprint.</p>
<p>And when he burst out into the other street, as he skid to a stop his eyes went wide again. Aside from the air being hot because of kicked up flames, there was a few drifts of ash in the air as well. Seeing them now, Ritsudo felt another new feeling well up until it was burning his chest: Anger. And not the same kind of anger as before, this wasn’t anger at people… it was anger at himself.</p>
<p><em>“If I’d been faster… if I’d transformed sooner then it wouldn’t have…” </em>Were the incomplete thoughts running through his head. <em>“Not anymore… enough of it…” </em>and a growl then left his throat. “I’M SICK OF PEOPLE DYING FOR NO REASON!”</p>
<p>Ritsudo drew Murakumo with a swipe of his left arm, grabbing the hilt and practically roaring his transformation call as angered tears flew from his eyes, dashing forward right as his armor began to form, Murakumo’s blade flashing through the Noise in his path at full speed as Ritsudo blasted down the street, a big one coming at him when he was done with the small fry, though Ritsudo barely even gave it a few seconds before he sliced through it with fire following his blade.</p>
<p>“It feels heavy in my hand now…” Ritsudo stood straight as he panted, feeling as if his grip on the sword was far heavier than it had been before, and he growled again as he looked further down the road to see more Noise coming at him, and he got ready to move again as they began coming closer… but then they stopped, Ritsudo raising a brow. “What the…”</p>
<p>“Well well, color me impressed. I was wondering which of the three who could would arrive.” And from above, the masked Tuner from before dropped down between Ritsudo and the Noise, his spear in one hand and that odd staff in the other. “And to think it would be Ame-no-Murakumo… I’m surprised you’re already fighting again.”</p>
<p>“Shut it!” Ritsudo snapped, not wasting time and attacking, his blade being blocked by the spear with a quick move. “You started this right?! Why the hell would you?! To draw us out?!”</p>
<p>“Spot on assessment.” The Tuner broke the lock and swiped the spear to drive Ritsudo back, the young man growling as his foe tilted his head. “And yet despite being here your heart still wavers… you can’t be expecting to beat me when your resolve is… well, completely lacking. It’s like seeing a storm in the form of a human being.”</p>
<p>“Are you here to fight or talk?!”</p>
<p>“I suppose the former. But I won’t be fighting you.”</p>
<p>With a wave of the staff, the passive Noise all shot forward at once, Ritsudo blocking their attacks and striking back in time with them. But that feeling of heaviness was starting to pervade through as his thoughts went wild with each Noise he blocked and struck down, his foe only summoning more to replace lost numbers.</p>
<p><em>“Why? Why am I even fighting right now?! Why did I </em>want <em>to help that kid… why am I so damn angry people died when I could have saved them!? What am I… what am I even doing here when I haven’t concluded a damn thing?! How am I gonna live up to those words if I’m like this?!”</em></p>
<p>His counter attacking though then came to a halt at the last Noise of a recent batch. He got it, but his step had been off, and Ritsudo found himself stumbling both of his own error, but of the feeling of weight on him too… and in that moment as he stumbled, the masked Tuner appeared right before him, his spear at the ready to attack.</p>
<p>“Not enough!” The enemy thrust the spear forward hard, flame bursting from it as it struck Ritsudo and sent him flying back along with the resulting point blank explosion of fire. Ritsudo sailed through the air and crashed to the concrete, bouncing and then landing again, rolling to a stop while face down, a groan leaving Ritsudo as his armor then went and vanished. “Again, a resolve so weak. Your heart is too turbulent, nothing in it right now is calm… like I said, you cannot hope to defeat me like this.”</p>
<p>“Screw… you…” Ritsudo then gave a yelp when the masked Tuner grabbed him by his still pulled back hair, pulling him up in a tight grip, and Ritsudo then felt the heat of the spear tip come near his chin.</p>
<p>“I hope you understand the position you’re in right now, Tuner. The thread on your life is close to snapping… what, pray tell, are you going to do about it?”</p>
<p>“I… I…” Ritsudo hissed as an attempt to answer caught in his throat. He growled again, yet again more at himself than anyone else. What <em>could </em>he do? He’d gone down so easily it was downright insulting, his will so unsettled he couldn’t even maintain a transformation… he felt like right now, he was letting people down, and that feeling was something he felt himself hating… and as time seemed to slow as the masked Tuner began to pull his spear back, Ritsudo’s mind drifted off to that night again…</p>
<hr/>
<p>“So, let’s put the advice this way.” Ritsudo’s attention was rapt as his father spoke, the man humming for a moment more. “No matter how hard things get, keep looking forward. Simple I know, but a lot can pay off if you do that. Times can get hard. Life is unfair and cruel just as often as it’s adoring and kind to people. So, you need to be strong enough to rough it through and keep going forward. And never, ever lose your own kindness, because if you do, it’s basically admitting that the world’s won, that it’s beaten you down enough to make you bitter at it.”</p>
<p>Direct and even a bit harsh, but those words felt like a lightning bolt arcing through Ritsudo’s mind. They were blunt for sure, but his father’s tone had been so calm and warm even that was dulled by the intent behind it. Ritsudo’s hands bunched up in his lap, tears already starting to fall again.</p>
<p>“But you weren’t there… how could I have done that when I didn’t have you and mom to give me that advice when I needed it?!” Ritsudo leaned on the table as his tears came out again, his voice cracking as his fingers dug into the wood, enough it actually started to hurt.</p>
<p>“And hopefully this is advice I can give you soon, I really do.” But the video continued anyway, unabated by Ritsudo’s sobbing. “You may be old when you see this and we can have a laugh about it, or maybe you’re still young and life has been endlessly cruel to you. Whatever the case, please Ritsudo, don’t hate this world. There’s a quote from these books I like: The world is not beautiful, therefore it is. Cruel yet gentle, unfair yet welcoming… ugly yet beautiful. That’s the wonderfully weird world we live in, and I hope you never stop loving it to it’s very core.”</p>
<p>Ritsudo’s sobs turned to shuddering as he looked back up to the screen, wiping his eyes clear as another voice came through, and then a woman with the same white as clouds hair came into view, the younger Ritsudo quick to come after her as the woman waved at the camera.</p>
<p>“Well I feel like I just missed out didn’t I?” The woman’s tone was sweet and motherly, Ritsudo starting to shake again at seeing his mother once more. “Hey there, son in the future! Mama hopes you’re doing well for yourself. And be sure to get yourself a cute girlfriend alright?”</p>
<p>“Hey come on dear, he’s only ten right now, we don’t even know when he’s going to watch it.”</p>
<p>“Ah but the sooner we encourage it the sooner we’ll get grandbabies to spoil.”</p>
<p>“Mom you’re being weird.” The parents laughed as their son dropped that dry remark, and the kid then laughed himself before turning back to the camera. “So… should I say anything else?”</p>
<p>“Hmm… how about you tell your future self what is it you want to be?” The mother sat down too, her son nodding as he adjusted the camera a bit to give a better view, then he took a pose with one arm outstretched and the other crossed beneath it.</p>
<p>“I want to be a Hero!”</p>
<p>Such a childish wish said with such enthusiasm and joy… and Ritsudo felt that wash over him like a wave. And if one could see it, they would say they could clearly see the dimness in his eyes fade, light blooming like something had finally, at long last, be relit inside of the young man, even as he began to break down into violent sobs once more.</p>
<hr/>
<p>“I don’t know what kind of answer you’re expecting.” Ritsudo actually speaking made his foe stop his spear, Ritsudo giving a hiss as his hand moved, grabbing Murakumo off of the ground, the blade beginning to pulse in his hands. “Like hell I can just have a real answer after a couple of days… I’m just a human after all.”</p>
<p>“What is I you are saying Chosen? Do you give up? Is that the conclusion you’ve come to after seeing the depths of your own despair and hatred?” The masked Tuner began moving the spear again, Ritsudo letting out a breath. The air had started changing, and the man was catching onto it as well.</p>
<p>“No… no I don’t. Because I at least know what I wanna be… it’s childish as hell but… even then… I WANT TO BE A HERO!” With a move as quick as lightning, Ritsudo tightly gripped his sword and it flashed up, the blade cutting right through his hair just under where the masked Tuner was grabbing it, the strands going loose as the slash followed through to try and hit the foe as began retreating. Ritsudo’s previous shaded gaze looked upwards, light already beginning to swirl around him as he stepped back and began rising, Murakumo’s pulsing blade starting to glow brightly as he lifted it upwards.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Scindia Ame-no-Murakumo tron!”</em>
</p>
<p>As his call turned into a yell to the sky, the light around Ritsudo burst upwards, gathering all at once until it formed into a dragon that rushed forward as it’s roar echoed through the air. The masked Tuner’s spear went ablaze as he went to block this sudden attack, the burning hound and dragon clashing as tearing across the road before the lock broke away. The Tuner hit the ground and shot back up, while the dragon faded away as it careened to a halt.</p>
<p>And Ritsudo’s armor had suddenly changed as the blazing flames around him shifted away. Gone was the black cloak that had concealed him, the armor now adorning him pure white over the black and blue body suit beneath with the sword’s sheathe at the back of the waist armor which came with its own waist attached half-cape, and in place of the cloak a flowing dark blue scarf that waved about in the air as he also now bore a headset that arced of his head with a pair of fins that split open at the ear covers. And replete with this change, Murakumo had altered as well, the black blade shifting in its wielder’s grip, changing from to gleaming white.</p>
<p>“Incredible… it’s not just his resonance that’s increasing… he actually forced the Symphogear to undergo a Rebuild by force of will.” The masked Tuner shifted in such a way as he suddenly chuckled one could easily assume there was a smile under that mask, though the nature of this mood of his wasn’t quite clear. “Good, no excellent even! <em>That </em>is the true state of Ame-no-Murakumo, the blade of pure white valor in the hands of it’s chosen wielder! Now, come, Tuner! Allow me to test that resolve once more! Roar, Araedhbar!”</p>
<p>“Bring it on!” Ritsudo yelled in response as the spear again shifted into a burning hound as it was sent his way, Ritsudo meeting it head on with a rapid swing. As he deflected the hound, which immediately veered in the air to attack again, Ritsudo dashing off and deflecting it again, he was already feeling the difference in his movements, and coupled with a new song bursting from his throat.</p>
<p>
  <em>~Someone that can take a stand and be courageous; I don’t think I’ll ever be that kind of hero. I can barely protect myself, that’s my reality. “You’re so amazing! Keep doing your best, hero!” “For the sake of the world please don’t ever lose!”~</em>
</p>
<p>The sudden weight was gone, in fact he felt <em>lighter </em>than he had even before this point. His body moved easily and freely as he dodged and slashed the savage thing relentlessly coming at him. And as he moved and clashed, coming face to face with his foe as the man recalled his spear to him, their weapons slamming together and sending a ring through the air, Ritsudo couldn’t help but smile. Even if he felt the stress, even if he was unsure, he could at least smile in sheer audacity at the enemy before him.</p>
<p>
  <em>~As I keep standing here, holding this desire to my chest, I don’t want to keep doing this; I want to change… I wonder if I’m capable of protecting something? The future changes in tandem with my heart, That is the path I decided to build!~</em>
</p>
<p>As this new song filled with a breed of jubilation rang through the air, unlike the last time they had fought the battle was far from one-sided. Ritsudo’s blows were able to keep up with his spear-using opponent end for end, their clashing of blade and spear sending flames and other elemental bursts through the air as their fight went up and down the district of the city. Ritsudo got blown away and up the side of a building, his foe quick to follow up and go after him without slowing, Ritsudo meeting it head on again as they shot upwards, Ritsudo leaning into the fall and rolling as he landed on the roof, blades meeting again as Murakumo began blazing with its own blue flames.</p>
<p>
  <em>~Which choice is correct? Which one is a mistake? My feelings don’t matter at all. What do I want to accomplish? Where should I go? Everything really is up to my heart’s desire!~</em>
</p>
<p>“Good good! Keep fighting, keep climbing higher! Let your song roar through the air!” And yet the masked Tuner only seemed more and more <em>excited </em>with each passing moment as they continued to clash across the rooftops, Ritsudo managing to turn the clash around and land a solid blow in, flinging his opponent off of his blade and back to the street below, descending himself and having his blade meet the haft of the spear, a shockwave blasting through the air as the weapons collided.</p>
<p>
  <em>~Even if I can’t wield a sword or magic spells, I’ll scream about the power of love until my voice gives out! I’ll change that boring future awaiting me; This one step will make itself known to the world!~</em>
</p>
<p>Before their weapons could even come apart, the Tuner went to strike at Ritsudo with his palm glowing red. But, seeing that one coming, Ritsudo shifting his grip and shifted about while still in the air, bursts of pressing coming from his leg armor to speed him up as he flipped around while grabbing the Tuner’s wrist, landing on the ground and slamming his opponent right back down on it with as hard a throw as he could manage, and dodging when the spear was immediately thrust right back at him in response.</p>
<p>
  <em>~Putting a lid on my negative thoughts, I’m headed for a land of dreams. No matter what anyone may say, I can’t abandon hope for where this dream is headed!~</em>
</p>
<p>He may have been keeping up but Ritsudo could tell his opponent was still stronger than him, and he could feel that gap showing as his opponent started hammering down heavier blows with the spear, one swipe following into a heavy swing that <em>then </em>followed into letting it loose again in that burning hound form. Ritsudo met the hound with a series of swings trailing water behind them, following forward until he closed the gap again, and when he managed to bat aside the spear when it was recalled, rather than try and following into another slash, Ritsudo reared a hand back and slammed his fist right into his foe’s mask, audible cracks sounding as Ritsudo followed through, the blow sending his opponent reeling back and skidding across the asphalt, a burning gouge being left in the ground as the man used his spear to slow himself.</p>
<p>“Hehehehe… well this is fun. Haven’t fought like this in ages!” The man let out a laugh as a portion of his mask fell off, revealing his right eye and it’s bright gold color. As he took his stance again, Ritsudo responding in kind, they were then summarily interrupted though. A dark ball of energy slammed into the ground between them, both retreating away. As Ritsudo tried to look for the source of it, as that was the very same attach the Nehushtan girl had used, the masked me gave a click of his tongue. His spear sealed again, and was spun into a normal hold. Ritsudo though, still looked ready to fight again if need be. “I suppose I was getting too into it. I forgot what the purpose of this was. Either way, my goal has been accomplished. We’ll leave this where it is for now, Kenzaki Ritsudo.”</p>
<p>“What you’re running?” Ritsudo said, the man shrugging as he turned. “Tch, who are you anyway?! You and that girl? What’s your “goal” anyway?”</p>
<p>“Such things will be revealed in time, Adaptor child. For now though… you may call me Scordatura. We’ll meet again soon.”</p>
<p>Before Ritsudo could give any kind of chase, the man calling himself Scordatura vanished in a pillar of fire, Ritsudo sighing and looking around at the scene that had been left because of their fight. Buildings with gashes in them, cars in total wreckages, and the street torn to bits. He couldn’t help but feel kinda bad about it even knowing the government would full on compensate for these damages since it was almost an expected result of a Noise attack.</p>
<p>“Ritsudo-san!”</p>
<p>“Kenzaki!”</p>
<p>Hibiki and Kyomei came running out from elsewhere, Ritsudo turning to face them, and both stopped with clear surprise on their faces as they saw Ritsudo’s changed armor, plus the fluttering remains where he’d gone and sliced that majority of his hair off.</p>
<p>“What happened? Why is your armor different?” Kyomei bringing it up made Ritsudo look, and he flinched like he’d only <em>now </em>realized his Symphogear had indeed changed look. “You just now realized it?!”</p>
<p>“I was sorta just… into the moment earlier.” Ritsudo said. “But what took you two so long to get here?”</p>
<p>“We got caught up with a bunch of Noise on the way.” Hibiki said, trotting right up to Ritsudo, also busy looking his new armor over. “But you look so cool now Ritsudo-san!”</p>
<p>“But seriously, what happened here?” Kyomei asked again, pulling Hibiki back.</p>
<p>“I fought that masked guy.” Ritsudo said, Kyomei and Hibiki gasping. “I really don’t get what he was after this time… also I… I want to apologize.”</p>
<p>And as if the other two weren’t surprised enough, Ritsudo then took a low bow in front of them both. Kyomei maybe surprised by it the most, as he’d been at the brunt of Ritsudo’s attitude for well around a year and a half so <em>this </em>was a shocking change of pace for him.</p>
<p>“It’s not like I can make an excuse about it, the headspace I used to be in was just… wrong.” Ritsudo stood straight, and his face, now easier to see from how his headset kept his hair back, showed the clear remorse on the surface. “So I’m not going to try and make any excuses for how I acted, I’ll simply apologize… and try to do better. I want to change, I want to stop hating this world… and I don’t want anymore people to die… so I… want to try and start again.”</p>
<p>“Of course!” Hibiki was almost bouncing with how clearly joyful she was, grabbing Ritsudo’s open hand in both of hers. “It’s alright you were a bit mean, it’ll be fine if you just make it up to people. And we’ll help, you don’t have to go at it alone, I promise!”</p>
<p>“What Tachibana said.” Kyomei put a hand to Ritsudo’s shoulder, giving a nod. “I’ve been trying to say it for ages now, all of us at the 2<sup>nd</sup> Unit wanna help, you’re a precious friend of ours there. So if you wanna try again, feel free.”</p>
<p>“Oh, I have another idea too!” Hibiki, still holding Ritsudo’s hand, spoke up again. “I’ve been training with Genjurro-san too, you should come by and do the same! And if you wanna, I can introduce you to my other friends too… oh wait but then there’s Wataru-senpai too… I wonder what he might say.”</p>
<p>“Hehehe… hahahaha!” And then Ritsudo started laughing, a laugh that opposed to before for him wasn’t devoid of emotion. An earnest laugh with actual joy in it, the young man wiping away tears that came to his eyes. “I’m so stupid… I really couldn’t see how I was surrounded by people like you guys. I know I’ve got a lot to do, but thanks… thanks for sticking with this idiot until he finally came around.”</p>
<p>“Yay! We’re all friends now!” Hibiki leapt up and hugged Ritsudo, to the boy’s clear embarrassment as he stumbled, Kyomei laughing as he out a hand to his hip. And about now, Ritsudo’s thoughts about the day had changed… now he was glad the sun was still out and the sky was almost clear… because it felt just like he was finally out of a storm that had lasted for too long.</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Alright… things start here again.” Ritsudo was almost frozen in front of the door to the classroom, his hand staying on the handle. It was a new day since his fight, and following it he’d also gone and cleaned up his hair after the mess he’d left it in, having cut it down to a still messy but shorter and styled set of layers, still with some more covering at the left side, but no longer was it long enough to his face from view, and the bangs occasionally showed the scar over his left eye as they drifted.</p>
<p>He took in a long breath and then let it out, sliding the door open and then walking into the classroom. Most people were so used to things they came near to paying him no mind as he entered, though rather than immediately go to his desk, Ritsudo took in another breath.</p>
<p>“Good morning!” The call from the previously dead quiet and asocial teenager was like a shockwave through the classroom, all of their chatter going dead, and even the teacher looked so shocked the chalk in his hand clattered to the ground. It was like some kind of miracle had just been seen in the class, nobody could give a word… well, nobody except for a particular strawberry blonde who couldn’t look more excited as he shot to his feet.</p>
<p>“Good morning, Ritsudo!” Wataru called back to Ritsudo and waved, Ritsudo waving back with a small smile on his face, and one could see how Wataru started beaming at him.</p>
<p>“Good morning Kaga… Wataru-san.” Ritsudo also <em>replying </em>was another shockwave that elicited shocked yells from everybody, their stupor finally broken, Ritsudo putting a hand behind his head as he awkwardly chuckled, but looking relaxed as he also gave a smile of his own. “So… allow me to try it again: I’m glad to meet all of you!”</p>
<p>And no longer did his eyes look dead. Eyes as blue and bright as the sky were what Ritsudo bore now. A first step had been taken at last, and he was ready to go ahead with whatever followed from there.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Reforged Connections</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“That’s…”</p>
<p>“Ritsudo’s Resonance levels are…”</p>
<p>It was the same time as Ritsudo’s battle with Scordatura, and a wave had been sent through the headquarters as the detection instruments went wild. Genjurro and Ryouko were wide eyed as the resonance signal for Ritsudo and Murakumo spiked, climbing until they reached the same level they had when he’d gone berserk during his last encounter with the masked Tuner.</p>
<p>“How far away are Kyomei and Hibiki?!” Genjurro shouted, though he didn’t need words because the map showed the other two’s signals were still far from the main combat zone, held up by the Noise they had run into along the way.</p>
<p>“Wait… it’s stabilizing! Not just that, his Resonance keeps getting higher!” Ryouko said, eyes turning to her. “Despite the spike in Resonance, it’s not running wild like it did before! He has control over the Ame-no-Murakumo’s power!”</p>
<p>“So his heart is no longer dissonant. Him and the blade are finally acting as one.” Genjurro chuckled as a smile broke his face as the feed started showing capture of Ritsudo’s battle with Scordatura as they ripped their way across the streets. And even in that view, Genjurro saw something… a visage behind Ritsudo, a visage just like wings in flight as he also saw that audacious smile on his face. “And your heart is burning as well… good, Ritsudo-kun, good! Fly higher and higher from here!”</p>
<p>“You’re getting quite into it, aren’t you?” Ryouko mused, Genjurro seeming all too proud as he chuckled. “You sound just like a proud father.”</p>
<p>“What Ryouko-kun, I’m not allowed to be proud of these kids?” A playful retort if ever there was one, Ryouko looking back to her console as she laughed, but, perhaps maybe it was a trick of the light, but, it was almost as if a dark expression came to her as she looked back at the data feed from Ritsudo.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Ritsudo sat up from the scanner’s stretcher as the hard platform slid out from the device, rolling a shoulder as he looked at Ryouko going over the data she had gathered. It wasn’t that long after his fight with Scordatura, and after he’d returned to base with Hibiki and Kyomei, she’d wanted to look him over immediately to see if anything about his condition had changed at all.</p>
<p>“So, how does it look?” Ritsudo also started fiddling with the still rather haphazard mess his hair was in now, the ragged ends from the reckless cut he’d made with his sword falling around his neck.</p>
<p>“No problems at all, you’re perfectly clear! In fact, I’d say you’re doing better than ever. You used to be under a lot more stress from you Gear, but now there’s hardly any at all. It’s actually pretty miraculous, if I would say so myself. Maybe now we’ll be seeing what the Ame-no-Murakumo can truly do.”</p>
<p>“Hehe, I bet you’ll be itching that kind of data.” Ritsudo let out a chuckle, then tugged at his haphazard mess of a hairdo now. “Hey uh.,.. Ryouko-san, by any chance, are you perhaps good with hair?”</p>
<p>“Ohhh?” Ryouko then laughed as Ritsudo looked to the side a bit. “Well, luckily for you I kind of am. After all, I am the super talented genius! I think I know something that would work for you.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>“And there! But, Ritsudo-kun, are you sure you want that scar to be visible? It’s not that it’s bad looking, but it does stand out.”</p>
<p>“It’s fine… I think I feel a bit better showing it now. I used to hate it. But now… it’s a good reminder for me, of what I need to do.”</p>
<p>Ryouko hummed as she dropped the portion of the left fringe of Ritsudo’s hair down, the boy running a hand through the layers as he also checked it out in a mirror, the lighter feeling also coming with a small sense of relief about it.</p>
<p>“So aside from having done a messy cut… never mind. You felt like a full change was needed, didn’t you?” Ryouko said, Ritsudo giving a hum as he removed the cloth over his shoulders. “Well, at least now people can see you’ve got quite the cute face. Almost makes me wanna eat you up!”</p>
<p>“Funny, Ryouko-san.” Ritsudo replied, looking to the side with an awkward chuckle as Ryouko laughed at his clear degree of embarrassment.</p>
<p>“Heyy! I heard Ritsudo-kun was here, how’s he doing Ryouko-san?” Hibiki then came barreling in through the door, flinching a bit as Ritsudo turned to her, her face going a bit red. “O-Oh… y-you cleaned your hair up.”</p>
<p>“Uh, yeah.” Ritsudo tilted his head, Hibiki’s blush getting a bit worse. Ryouko just let out a laugh as she sauntered over to Hibiki and pat her on the back.</p>
<p>“You must be pretty surprised aren’t you? Turns out our sulking lad actually has a pretty face!” Ryouko laughed again as Hibiki gave a slow nod, Ritsudo giving a sigh. “But don’t worry Hibiki-chan, he’s perfectly fine. Now as for that Synchronization thing, well, that’ll be up to the both of you to figure out. Now I’ve got some things to do, so make sure you rest up in case anything happens. See you later!”</p>
<p>“Uhm… Tachi… no, Hibiki-san, I want to apologize.” Ritsudo bowing his head made Hibiki flinch in surpise. “I know I said so earlier, but this is more personal. I’ve been a terrible partner since we began working together… least of all that I attacked you when that happened. I’ve got a lot more things to apologize for to other people, and I want to start here, at least.”</p>
<p>“It’s fine. So please stop bowing to me, it’s kind of awkward.” Hibiki said, Ritsudo standing straight, Hibiki giving him a smile. “Like I said, of course you can start over. And I can help you with that. And I won’t let my training go to waste… ah! I have an idea! You should totally come and train with me and Master!”</p>
<p>“Master?”</p>
<p>“Oh, uh, the Commander. I’ve been training with him for a few days now so I can learn to fight better. It’d be great if you came to train with me later! I’m sure you could learn all sorts of stuff!”</p>
<p>“Yeah… I think that’d help. I kinda need to learn how to actually fight with Murakumo too. All I’ve been doing is relying on its raw power until now. If I want to get stronger, than I need more than that.” Ritsudo looked to the pendant wrapped around his left forearm, closing his hand down. “Because with this… I’ll cut through whatever I have to until we can destroy whatever twists this world… so nobody has to die pointlessly ever again.”</p>
<p>“I’m not sure about the whole “cut what twists the world” thing… but I get not wanting to see people die.” Hibiki then put both of her hands on Ritsudo’s closed left hand, smiling at him again. “Because I have things I want to protect too. And I’ll do it with both of these hands. Because I want my power to be one that can save people.”</p>
<p>“Heh, that’s not too bad either.”</p>
<p>And outside of the room in the hall, as Hibiki began telling Ritsudo about her training and how that had been going, Kyomei was leaning on the wall next to the door. He gave a chuckle as he stepped off and started walking off, putting his arms behind his head as he looked up.</p>
<p>“We have some pretty reliable juniors, Tsubasa… you better wake up soon, cause they’re catching up to us quickly.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Please let me apologize!”</p>
<p>In what had become something of a string of apologies to many people that day, Ritsudo had his head lowered to Wataru and his group of friends. The former just looked surprised, while a couple of his friends dropped their lunches to the ground of the lounge area on the rooftop, staring with wide eyes. Subaru’s glasses even slipped like they too were reacting to this.</p>
<p>“I know it’s not like I can just take things back. But, please, Kaga… Wataru-san, I want to apologize for the things I did and said. You were only trying to help me, and I just pushed you away. So, again, I’m sorry for that! And… if you would… I want to start again and maybe… maybe be friends this time.”</p>
<p>“Who is this guy and what did he do with Kenzaki?” Rei quietly murmured, Wataru looking like he was in actual shock.</p>
<p>“It’s like an anime plot… did he get brainwashed or something? He even cut his hair. That’s all symbolic and stuff!” Subaru whispered.</p>
<p>“I’m sure he can hear us!” Mitsuki hissed.</p>
<p>Ritsudo though, paid the shocked comments no mind. He looked up and held a hand out to Wataru. The boy looked like he’d finally snapped out of his surprise, and he nodded as he took Ritsudo’s hand… and then promptly yanked the other teenager into a tight hug, Ritsudo yelping, and shoving down the urge to shove Wataru away out of old impulse.</p>
<p>“Of course! It’s fine if that happened. Everyone deserves a chance to try again. I’ve got no idea what happened to bring all this around, but I’d be happy to be your friend, Ritsudo!” Wataru pulled back with his hands on Ritsudo’s shoulders, Ritsudo wiping his eyes quickly as they started to feel a bit wet, Wataru chuckling as he pat Ritsudo on the shoulders. “So don’t worry about it. Besides, I’ve never been wrong about a person I’ve tried to befriend yet!”</p>
<p>“Well… if Wata’s cool about it, then I don’t think I have a reason to complain.” Subaru said, pushing his glasses back up. “I mean, I guess sometimes you gotta let things slide right?”</p>
<p>“Somehow I feel like something was both gained and lost.” Rei murmured, but shrugging himself. “But, I agree. Besides Kenzaki’s been apologizing to people all day, so I don’t think you’ve got bad intentions. I guess Wataru was right, you are a nice guy deep down.”</p>
<p>“I for one welcome you wholeheartedly!” Mitsuki, of course, got into his “noble” attitude as he strode up and also put a hand on Ritsudo’s shoulder. “As Wataru said, his instinct about people hasn’t been wrong so far, and thus there is no reason for me to distrust you either!”</p>
<p>“I know the lot of them are kinda weirdos, but they’re good guys, trust me.” Wataru said.</p>
<p>“And you’re not?!” Rei commented, Ritsudo snickering as Wataru looked offended by the comment.</p>
<p>“Then I’ll introduce myself properly again.” Ritsudo cleared his throat and took a polite bow once more. “I’m Kenzaki Ritsudo, and it’s nice to meet all of you. And I’m glad to be your friend too.”</p>
<p>“Please save the formal talking for Mitsuki, it’s kind of his bit.”  Rei commented, Mitsuki giving a huff while Subaru began cackling.</p>
<p>“You’ll get used to Miyana’s attitude after a while, trust me!”</p>
<p>“Subaru, what have I said about that nickname?!” Mitsuki spat, Subaru sticking his tongue out, dashing over to Ritsudo next.</p>
<p>“So hey, Rizaki, I know it’s outta the blue, but you watch any anime? Tokusatsu? Dramas? Anything?!” The sudden enthusiasm in Subaru’s voice clearly caught Ritsudo off guard, much less the sudden odd nickname, Rei and Mitsuki sighing while Wataru just chuckled.</p>
<p>“Well… not really currently… I was kinda into Toku as a kid though. Mostly some older stuff from a couple decades ago. Heisei era and early Reiwa… I think. It’s been a long time.”</p>
<p>“Ah I see I see. Those do have some classics in them for sure.” Subaru nodded as he put a hand on his chin, then got a glint into his eyes. “Well I’ve got plenty of stuff I can let you check out!”</p>
<p>“Come on Subaru, don’t go overwhelming him now.” Wataru said, then throwing a finger up. “But I think to celebrate the occasion, we should go out to eat after school! There’s this really good taiyaki place in the smaller shopping district, Flower. It’s really good stuff, I think you’d like it, Ritsudo!”</p>
<p>And then to Ritsudo’s confusion, the other three boys all gave amused sighs and knowing looks at Wataru. Ritsudo pretty much had questions marks around his head. Rei then slid up and put an arm around Ritsudo’s neck, also putting a hand near his mouth as his look turned smarmy.</p>
<p>“Wataru tries to deny it, but he’s totally got a thing for this first year we’re friends with, named Kohinata Miku. She showed us the place before since both our groups kinda merged. I’m pretty sure they’ve gone on a few dates there already. Really they’re dating in all but <em>actually </em>being official about it.”</p>
<p>“R-Rei, I can here you! And… Miku and I aren’t dating. We’re just… close friends is all. And I like hanging out with her. She’s also really nice… and pretty.”</p>
<p>“Just ask her out already you dolt.” Rei deadpanned, Wataru’s face going red as he fiddled with a bit of hair, twirling it around a finger enough it made it obvious why that bit was curled.</p>
<p>“Oh, I know who you’re talking about.” Ritsudo said, a light bulb going off. “She’s Tachi… <em>ahem, </em>Hibiki-san’s friend… I don’t think she likes me much. Hibiki-san does talk about her a bit… I guess I just tuned it out before though.”</p>
<p>“Oh yeah, you and Tachibana do work part-time together right?” Mitsuki noted, giving a hum.</p>
<p>“I’m also pretty damn sure the crush is mutual. The two get weird around each other.” Rei noted, Wataru giving an objective shout again.</p>
<p>“Haha, yeah totally! You two act like the main pair of a shoujo manga who just won’t fess up!” Subaru laughed, Wataru actually fuming at him a bit. “Let’s stay on topic will we?!”</p>
<p>“We are.” Wataru’s friends answered in unison, Ritsudo chuckling.</p>
<p>“I do like those plans though. I kinda have some plans after school though, I need to visit somebody. So it’s fine if it’s a bit later yeah? I shouldn’t be long.” Ritsudo said, Wataru nodding and giving a thumbs up.</p>
<p>“Sure! I’ll text you were the place is so you can meet up with us on the way. You’re gonna love the place, trust me!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>Ritsudo now found himself sitting with Genjurro at the man’s home, a traditionally styled home in a district filled with similar buildings on walled off plots of land, all in all a pretty rich section of the suburban area.</p>
<p>Genjurro put down the cup of tea he was drinking from, looking over to Ritsudo as the young man’s gaze was steady. Following Hibiki’s idea, Ritsudo had arrived to ask Genjurro to train him as well, a thing the man was contemplating.</p>
<p>“I don’t see a reason not to.” The man smiled as he folded his arms, Ritsudo perking up with a small gasp. “I heard about how you spent pretty much all day going around and apologizing to people, which means you’re sticking to your determination and moving forward. So of course I’ll help you get stronger, in order to continue to help you do so.”</p>
<p>“Thank you very much!” Ritsudo bowed his head again, Genjurro chuckling and raising a hand.</p>
<p>“No need to be super formal with me. Now, at least answer me one question: Do you watch action movies?”</p>
<p>“Not really… why?”</p>
<p>“Hahaha, well then boy will you be in for a surprise! We can begin tomorrow if that will be easier for you. Because from the way you’re glancing at your phone every now and again, it seems like you have something on your mind.”</p>
<p>“Oh, that, uh, well…” Ritsudo fumbled a bit as he grabbed the phone off the table, Genjurro chuckling again, clearly just glad to see the boy was getting someone. “I kind of… have plans to head out to this place with Kaga… Wataru-san and his friends later.”</p>
<p>“Ahaha, well then, I won’t interfere in those.” Genjurro then hummed, recalling something. “Actually, I think Hibiki-kun mentioned some plans with her friends too… Hibiki-kun!”</p>
<p>“Yeah?” And as soon as she was called, Hibiki, her hair a bit matted from sweat, came running from the yard and to the room, panting a bit.</p>
<p>“You said you had plans with friends a bit later today right?” Genjurro got a nod in response. “Well it seems the same goes for Ritsudo-kun too. I think there’s been enough training for today, so go get cleaned up. Ritsudo-kun will be joining us tomorrow!”</p>
<p>“Cool! Wait, where are you going, Ritsu?” Hibiki tilted her head before she dashed off to go shower, Ritsudo giving a hum.</p>
<p>“Wataru-san said it was this place called… Flower?”</p>
<p>“Ohhh! That’s where I’m going to! So we can go together! Just give me a second to get cleaned up and we can go!”</p>
<p>“She’s kinda energetic huh?” Ritsudo hummed, Genjurro chuckling. “I wonder though… what’s she got behind it?”</p>
<p>“Hm?” Genjurro tilted his head, Ritsudo giving a nervous chuckle and raising a hand up.</p>
<p>“It’s uh, nothing, don’t worry.” Ritsudo’s look however, became a lot more pensive, even as his phone finally lit up with the text from Wataru. <em>“It’s not like I forgot what I saw when she and I tried to Synchronize before… Hibiki-san seems like she may not have any problems… when that’s anything but the truth. Just what all did she go through after that concert? From what I saw… it was barely enough to piece anything together. But… she and I aren’t so different.”</em></p>
<hr/>
<p>“Heyyy! We’re not late are we?”</p>
<p>“Hibiki-san we didn’t have to run the entire way here!”</p>
<p>Ritsudo sighed as he and Hibiki finally slowed down as they neared the shop, both groups of friends gathered out in the front waiting, Wataru and Miku moving to the front to greet them.</p>
<p>“Not at all. Heck you’re both here a couple minutes head.” Wataru said, Miku giving a hum.</p>
<p>“But… who’s this with you?” Miku said, Wataru giving a flinch.</p>
<p><em>“Crap! I forgot the only one who really knows Ritsudo is Hibiki! The rest of the girls have no idea it’s him!” </em>Wataru’s face said exactly what he was thinking as he lurched a bit, Miku giving him a raised brow as she glanced at him.</p>
<p>“He looks like an anime main character!” Yumi said, Subaru’s glasses going opaque as he hit the same realization as Wataru.</p>
<p>“I didn’t know someone like him went to our school.” Shiori commented, Mitsuki letting out a nervous chuckle.</p>
<p>“Where’d you meet such a hot guy Bikki? You holding out on us or something?” And Kuriyo’s playful comment made Rei face palm, and Hibiki’s face went redder than other situations.</p>
<p>“D-Don’t think anything weird! And besides you all know who he is!” Hibiki’s comment made all the other girl’s tilt their heads, Hibiki letting out a sigh. “It’s Kenzaki Ritsudo! My friend from my part-time job!”</p>
<p>“WHAAAAAAT?!” Ritsudo just looked to the side at the in unison shocked screeches.</p>
<p>The thought was clear. A mental image of Ritsudo’s old look imposed next to his current one… and of anything it just made the shocked looks on the girl’s faces worse.</p>
<p>“It doesn’t match! What is this anime plot level character change?!” Yumi shouted, summing up the general thoughts.</p>
<p>“Trust me we were surprised too.” Subaru said, putting a hand on Yumi’s shoulder.</p>
<p>“Wataru-kun, do you know what happened?” Miku leaned up to whisper into Wataru’s ear, the boy giving a shake of his head.</p>
<p>“Not at all. But, he came to us to apologize for things. I don’t know what happened, but he’s trying to make things right. I think that’s enough.” Wataru said, Miku lowering down and giving a hum. “And besides, you trust Hibiki-san right? If she thinks he’s worth it, then he definitely is.”</p>
<p>“Well, I guess you’re not wrong.” Miku said, Wataru chuckling. “Alright everybody, if you’re done being shocked let’s go in and eat.”</p>
<p>And as Miku and Wataru entered first, the two friend trios looked to each other and all silently nodded to each other. Hibiki just looked confused at the silent communication while Ritsudo sighed while giving a slight laugh.</p>
<p>“Well looks like they’re all on board that ship huh?” Ritsudo’s comment only made Hibiki more confused as they went in, the group fanning out and quite purposefully taking their seatings to make sure that Miku and Wataru were seated next to one another, the following awkward looks getting snickers from the amused to the devious from the others.</p>
<p>Though Hibiki had an odd feeling as they all chattered amongst themselves, taking looks towards Wataru and Miku, who despite the somewhat awkward glances, were clearly enjoying talking to one another… and it made a weird feeling well up in Hibiki’s chest, one she wasn’t quite familiar with… and that just troubled her.</p>
<p>And Ritsudo looked at her as he felt a similar pit, but it wasn’t his own feeling that caused it. He felt like it was coming from somewhere else… somehow, he felt like it was coming from Hibiki.</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Well that was great! That place totally rocks!”</p>
<p>“It was good. Know any other places.”</p>
<p>“Oh I know plenty!”</p>
<p>Ritsudo chuckled as Wataru gave a faux smug look, the two now back at Lydian and making their way along the dorm hallways, everybody else already having split off to their rooms at the entrance.</p>
<p>“So, hey I’m kinda curious, what kind of work do you and Hibiki-san do anyway? I know you two also work with Kyomei-senpai, and it does keep you pretty busy at times.”</p>
<p>“Well, that’s…” Ritsudo gave a sigh as he put a hand behind his head. As much as part of him wanted to be honest about it, their particular line of work wasn’t just something he could talk to with a totally uninvolved person after all. “It’s kinda complicated to explain. I guess you could say we do intern work with someone associated with Aikawa-san’s family.”</p>
<p>“Ehhh? Sounds like kind of big stuff! How did you guys even get hired for something like that?” Wataru’s earnestness made Ritsudo awkwardly tilt his head. There just wasn’t any good way to answer that question when he was having to be dishonest about it.</p>
<p>“Sorry to say, Kagami-san, but we’re kind of not allowed to talk about that much.” And like he’d been watching just for such a thing, Kyomei stepped out from the stairway behind the two, Ritsudo giving a sigh of relief. “You don’t mind if I steal Kenzaki-san for a bit do you? I kinda wanna talk about some things with him.”</p>
<p>“Oh, sure! My room is a bit further back anyway. Seeya tomorrow Ritsudo!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, seeya.” Ritsudo gave a wave as Wataru trotted off, turning to Kyomei. “So, would it be easier to talk in my room? It’s not far.”</p>
<p>“I was kinda planning on that, yeah.”</p>
<p>Ritsudo nodded, Kyomei following him the rest of the way. As they entered, Kyomei looked cautious as they went past the entrance, and the older boy sighed when he saw the room was actually clean, a much different case than the utter chaos it had been before.</p>
<p>“Well, it’s good you cleaned up yourself.” Kyomei sat down at the edge of the lower area, Ritsudo raising a brow. “Oh it’s nothing… it’s just Tsubasa has no sense of order when it comes to her own things, so her room is pretty much always a mess. I clean it up all the time.”</p>
<p>“Eh, sounds rough. Do you uh… like coffee?”</p>
<p>“It’s fine, you don’t have to make anything.” Kyomei waved Ritsudo down as he was browsing the cupboards, also grumbling to himself about how little he had, though he went and took a seat to the table. “It is nice to see you around others. I heard about it, that you spent almost all day running around apologizing to people.”</p>
<p>“I have to start somewhere.” Ritsudo said, looking out the window and to the city beyond. “So I might as well start here. I can’t change everything, but I can at least do my best to fix my mistakes. So, I also want to apologize to you too.”</p>
<p>“There’s really no need to.” Kyomei put up a hand, Ritsudo looking down a bit. “You just doing everything you have is enough as far as my concern goes. You don’t need to do more than that. Just do your senpai proud by continuing to get better, even if it’s only by one percent a day.”</p>
<p>“Now that’s got me curious… there was another guy before right? What was his name… Koto, right?”</p>
<p>“His name is Hidaka Kotone, though he doesn’t like using his full first name.” Kyomei answered, adjusting his seating. “He was Kanade’s partner two years ago… if anything he was also the person who gave her some grounding. Koto… he left after that concert though. He’s a good guy… but Kanade was everything for him. When she died… I guess he just needed to get away from it all, to do some soul searching, and find some kind of answer.”</p>
<p>“Do you guys have any idea where he is?” Ritsudo got a shake of the head in response.</p>
<p>“After he left, he also turned over his communicator and his Relic… he went completely off the radar, and we haven’t been able to find any trace of him… but I know he’s still alive… somewhere… and I can’t help but feel he’s a lot closer than I think. For some reason.”</p>
<p>“Maybe there’s a reason for that.” Ritsudo said, giving Kyomei a surprisingly gentle smile. “You’re a good guy, Aikawa-senpai. If you have that much faith in a person, then I’m sure you’ll find him. And… you gotta make sure when you do, you and Kazanari-senpai are both there to welcome him back, right?”</p>
<p>“Hehehe… are you really the same Kenzaki from a couple days ago?” Kyomei chuckled, going into full laughter, Ritsudo laughing in kind. “Though I’m sure you’ve heard plenty of that today. Hehe… thanks, Ritsudo-san. I’ll be glad to introduce you and Tachibana to Koto once he’s back. I’m glad to have reliable juniors.”</p>
<p>“Well, that’s gotta be high praise.”</p>
<p>“Hehe, not at all.” Kyomei looked out the window again, giving a hum. “Thanks for the chat. I’m gonna go see Tsubasa… she’s still asleep, but… when does wake up, I’m sure she’ll be ready to get to work the same way you are.”</p>
<p>“I think she needs you around.” Ritsudo said, Kyomei flinching a bit. “I mean… I probably can’t tell that well… and I barely remember what happened when I went wild. But I did hear… I know how she is but, I think maybe she only went that far because she felt like she had to protect what she cared about… and in that moment, it was you.”</p>
<p>“Yeah… you’re not wrong.” Kyomei murmured, his hands balling together. “This time, I’m not leaving her alone. If she’s a bird lacking a wing, I’ll be the other one she needs.”</p>
<p>“Then I think you’re on the right track.” Ritsudo then hummed as Kyomei lowered his head a bit. “Uh… I know this is kinda killing the mood but… do you dye your hair or something? Your roots are red…”</p>
<p>“Oh uh…” Kyomei chuckled awkwardly as he sat straight, scratching his cheek. “Yeah I, kinda do. I’ve actually got naturally red hair, but I’ve dyed it since I was a kid to try and not stand out much. It’s not exactly a common thing here in Japan y’know? I guess it’s starting to come out again.”</p>
<p>“Have you ever thought about letting it go back it’s normal color?” Ritsudo said, Kyomei tilting his head. “I mean, if we’re talking about standing out you kind of already do that enough y’know?”</p>
<p>“Do I?”</p>
<p>“Well y’know, the son of a high profile politician who’s close to an international idol… yeah kinda hard <em>not </em>to stand out with a ledger like that.”</p>
<p>“Y-Yeah… I guess you’re right.” Kyomei tugged at the strands and gave a hum, then looking down when he felt a hum from his own pendant. “Alright Gandiva… I’ll get going, have a good night, Ritsudo-san.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, you too.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Excuse me.”</p>
<p>Kyomei greeted the on station doctors as he entered Tsubasa’s care room. Thankfully physically, Tsubasa’s condition had improved, but due to the days of inactivity she’d no doubt need to spend time rehabilitating herself once she woke up.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Gandiva… let me back in there again… let me talk to Tsubasa this time.” </em>
</p>
<p>As he sat down, Kyomei closed his eyes. Gandiva began to glow in his hand, and as his body slumped down, Kyomei felt a pull on his mind. That same feeling of like he’d found himself in water hit, and as his vision returned, he saw the vermillion bird flew over and landed on his shoulder.</p>
<p>“It’s different this time… it feels warm for some reason.” Kyomei murmured, looking around as he continued to drift down. “I get it though… she’s still alive, so that’s why it’s different.”</p>
<p>“And she’s realized it herself.” Gandiva said, Kyomei nodding.</p>
<p>“The one who was here before has already gone to help the other.” And then Ame-no-Habakiri flitted over too, Kyomei holding out his arm for the spirit. “Come, I’ll take you to where she is.”</p>
<p>Kyomei nodded, and with a flare of Ame-no-Habakiri’s wings, he felt a wave hit his mind as the area around him flashed to pure white.</p>
<p>
  <em>“I’m alive… No, I just couldn’t die properly. Why did Kanade live? And why did she die?”</em>
</p>
<p>“Tsubasa?! Tsubasa where are you?!” Kyomei called out, and when the flash finally died down, he gasped. The space around him had become the amber lit ruins of the concert venue, and he even found himself clad in the older form of his Symphogear from back then.</p>
<p>
  <em>“She’s closer than you think right now. So go find her.”</em>
</p>
<p>“Kanade?!” Kyomei gasped again as he looked around, seeing a single orange feather drifting down before him. And when it passed his eyes, they went wide when it revealed Tsubasa, sitting on the ground, also clad in her old Symphogear in this space in her mind. “Tsubasa!”</p>
<p>
  <em>“I’ve trained harder than ever… killed more Noise than I can count, I’ve put my life on the line again and again. I continued fighting… without asking why… and then I realized, that there was no meaning to my life. I at least thought… that if I could protect that person so dear to me… I could at least find something.”</em>
</p>
<p>“This is what you’ve been thinking, isn’t it?” Kyomei strode forward, stopping as he got close enough he could just about reach out. “All you wanted was answers of your own worries and questions. And honestly I don’t think I can give you all of them… but Tsubasa, I know for a fact your life has meaning to it. There’s people who want you around, who care about you… the Commander, Ryouko-san, Tachibana-san, everyone else at the 2<sup>nd</sup> Division… even Ritsudo-san thinks you need to come back. And most of all… <em>I </em>need you back, Tsubasa!”</p>
<p>“What?” Tsubasa flinched and then stood, her eyes going wide as Kyomei finally registered his presence to her. “Kyomei… you’re… how…”</p>
<p>“Our Relics.” Kyomei said, holding out his arm as Gandiva flew down to him again, Ame-no-Habakiri landing on Tsubasa’s shoulder. “Even after this long, these two are still connected, and it’s how I can be here right now. Tsubasa, there’s too many people who want you alive… I want you alive. Because… no, if I’m going to say it, then I want to tell you face to face, not here.”</p>
<p>“But I… what else am I supposed to do? I just… I wanted things to always be the way they were, with Kanade and Koto beside us.”</p>
<p>“And I don’t think either of them would approve of us standing here sulking around.” Kyomei stepped forward, Tsubasa gasping as he pulled her into a hug. And in the moment he did, the space around them changed again, flashing away from the ruins, and instead to a brightly lit surface of water all around them. “Whatever is next, we’ll find it together. Zwei Wing… two wings as one. If you need another wing to fly, then that’s what I’ll be. I’ll make sure you fly higher than anybody else, so that we can find whatever’s waiting for us beyond these battles.”</p>
<p>“But I… I don’t… not after everything I’ve done. That kind of happiness… a blade doesn’t deserve it.”</p>
<p>“You’re not a blade Tsubasa… you’re human. And humans are supposed to be flawed, to make mistakes. It’s how we grow and get stronger. You don’t just have to train or beat enemies to be strong you know? As long as your will doesn’t break… then there’s no way a person can be called weak.” Kyomei tightened the hug as he spoke, Tsubasa finally returning the gesture as she began softly crying.</p>
<p>“Kyomei… I just don’t know what to do. We lost them both… they’re not here anymore.”</p>
<p>“Well… I guess that’s more of a matter of how you look at it.” Kyomei stepped back while keeping his hands on Tsubasa’s shoulders, and she looked up as orange feathers fell again, complete with a glimmer of gold among them. “Because sometimes… the people you lost are closer than you think. It’s just a matter of how you want to view it. So… Tsubasa, what’s your choice? How are you going to move forward from here? It’s a decision that’s up to you, and you alone.”</p>
<p>“It’s my choice.” Tsubasa repeated, looking back down, and a soft expression, a look Kyomei hadn’t seen for years, came to the girl as she gazed at Kyomei’s bright, small smile. “Then I choose…”</p>
<p>
  <em>beepbeepbeepbeepBEEP</em>
</p>
<p>Kyomei’s eyes snapped open as the rapid beeping drew his attention, scrambling up from his seat immediately. As the doctors began rushing around, Kyomei looked down, and immediately had his face split into a wide grin as Tsubasa’s eyes opened up, and her eyes showed a warm expression as even with her blurry vision, she was able to make his face out.</p>
<p><em>“It’s almost kind of odd… it feels like the world has slowed down a bit… heh, well, I never missed a day of school except for work or shows… there goes my perfect attendance record… heh, guess I’m not that serious after all.” </em>Tsubasa glanced over to Kyomei, who had tears in his eyes as he kept a smile on. <em>“Don’t worry, Kanade, Koto… the person by my side is enough. You two are close enough in your own ways. So, I’ll humiliate myself by surviving again… because I want to stay by his side.”</em></p>
<p>“Thank you.” Tsubasa’s voice was soft and weak from the days without use, but Kyomei didn’t need much to know what she was trying to get across.</p>
<p>“You’re welcome. And, welcome back, Tsubasa.” Kyomei said, Tsubasa nodding. “What did I tell you? I won’t leave you I promise.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Omen of Conflict</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a location well outside of the city. A mansion, kept out of easy view from the roads by both the cliffside it was built on, and the small forest it sat nestled in. Out of sight and out of mind, away from prying eyes. It was within this building, in a large hall dominated by a massive table and a few implements of questionable use, with a massive kind of computer at the very end of the room, were things beyond the eyes of the 2<sup>nd</sup> Division were.</p>
<p>Scordatura was seated at the head of the table, his arms folded, and while hidden by his mask, his eyes closed. And there as well, speaking on the phone and holding the staff which Chris, the girl with the Nehushtan Armor, had used in their battle against the Adaptors.</p>
<p>“Whatever happened to the activation test for the Sacrist we handed over? The Staff of Solomon?” The man on the other end of the line sounded impatient, though the woman just smirked as she flicked the staff open with a casual move of her wrist.</p>
<p>“It’s as I reported. The activation of a complete Relic requires a significant amount of Phonic Gain. It’s not done so easily.” Even if it was just to drive the point herself, the woman summoned some Noise with the staff only to immediately dismiss them, Scordatura giving a huff at the action.</p>
<p>“Remember, our goal is to find whatever way we can to activate the lost technology of the old civilizations, and make them our own. Do whatever it takes to achieve results.”</p>
<p>“This is a give and take relationship after all.” The woman set the staff down and took another chair, throwing her legs up onto the table. “I do appreciate the support of your country though. Don’t worry, you’ll see results soon enough. But for that, I’ll need your success in our little “rabbit hunting” mission as well.”</p>
<p>“As expected, you have the mind to use us completely. If that’s how it’ll be, then get those results in. Make sure our actions see proper compensation, and we’ll see to it you see such courtesy as well. We’re riding on being able to acquire proper use of Heretical Technology to bolster our own stakes.”</p>
<p>“I understand perfectly well. Tell your higher ups not to worry. I just need to get my hands on a proper… <em>source, </em>let’s say. And I have my eye on something to do just that. But do remember the saying, the more docile the dog, the longer it lives.” The woman hung up the phone and lowered her legs, giving a disgusted sigh. “Vulgar and disgusting, just like the country he was born in. There’s no reason for me to tell someone like that The Staff of Solomon has been activated, now is there?”</p>
<p>“Just don’t prod them too much, Finé. The Americans don’t like to be kept in the dark when they want things done. Especially those who’d deal with people like us.” Scordatura said, grabbing the staff and flicking it shut.</p>
<p>“And that is exactly why they’re easy to use.” Finé said, Scordatura giving a sigh. “As long as I tell them I’m close, that the results they want are within reach, I’ll have them on a leashe, at least for a while longer. And if they get too impatient and break down my door, well… I’ve got two ways to deal with that eventuality. Right, Chris?”</p>
<p>Finé drew her attention to the mentioned girl as she strode up to her… though perhaps the phrase was inaccurate, as the girl was currently strapped up to a large machine clearly hooked up to a generator as well. She had been for a while as it were, Finé’s idea of “settling an issue” due to what happened several nights ago. Scordatura merely gazed towards the sight with a dull gaze under his mask.</p>
<p>“Does it hurt, poor little Chris?’ Finé stroked the girl’s chin and roused her awake, Chris looking to the woman with a tired gaze. “It’s because you hesitated back there. You only needed to bring the girl here once you had lured her out, and use your advantage to claim the Ame-no-Murakumo as well. Yet not only did you screw up, you returned empty handed! Now true, Murakumo was put out of commission for a short while… and yet, our Heavenscaller saw to it that now, the blade has awakened. Might I ask why, dear Scordatura?”</p>
<p>“It would have been useless to us in an unawakened state.” Scordatura replied, locking his gaze to just keep Finé in sight. “When the blade gleams black, its power is of no use. Only when it shines white, will the real power of that sword be useable. Or do you <em>not </em>want a potential alternative to <em>that </em>one you have your eyes on?”</p>
<p>“Ah I see, so the claim is that it is for the purpose of the plan. I suppose I can go with that.” But the look in Finé’s eyes was bitter, Scordatura paying the look no mind.</p>
<p>“This is for the best, right?” Chris weakly spoke, Finé looking back to the girl. “If I want to realize my dream, I just need to obey you, right?”</p>
<p>“That’s right. So accept everything about me.” Finé strode off the platform and went to a control panel, putting her hands on the lever as a wicked grin showed. “If you don’t, I won’t like you anymore.”</p>
<p>A pull of the lever, and electricity burst to life on the station. Chris’s agonized screaming filled the hall as Finé sadistically chuckled to herself. Scordatura’s figure notably tightened up, a grip on his coat’s sleeve straining the cloth.</p>
<p>“You’re so cute Chris. I’m the only one that can love you.” Finé’s cooing though, came with Chris panting as she was still wracked in pain, her eyes painfully wide in the moment of reprieve from Finé shutting off the machine. Finé then got all too close, stroking the girl’s face with their bodies pressed together. “Remember it well, Chris. The truth of this world is that only pain can connect people’s hearts. Now, let’s have dinner… after we’re done here of course.”</p>
<p>Scordatura couldn’t help but growl as the girl’s pained screams continued. One could even swear the room went a few degrees hotter as a reflection of what he was truly feeling beneath more than just the mask concealing his face.</p>
<p><em>“Just a bit more…” </em>The masked man thought, clenching a hand tight. <em>“Just a bit more time, and I can end this. I can put an end to this cycle… and we can finally move on from this world.”</em></p>
<hr/>
<p>“Ahhh, talk about a way to start the day!”</p>
<p>“Well… we gotta do what we can, right?”</p>
<p>Hibiki nodded to Ritsudo as they both flopped down on the wider couch of the HQ command center. Genjurro gave a laugh as he sat at the other with a sports drink bottle in hand, the teenager’s dive into laying about being amusing for him after the morning of hard training.</p>
<p>“I’m counting on you, champions of tomorrow.” The man then chuckled, looking particularly at Ritsudo. “Or maybe I should say “hero”, yes? I was surprised my action movie method didn’t quite work out with you… and yet instead it was tokusatsu heroes that clinched it.”</p>
<p>“Ehehe… blame childhood I guess?” Ritsudo said, accepting a drink from Aoi as she handed bottles to him and Hibiki, the latter happily taking it and guzzling it down.</p>
<p>“Um, I know that I’m the one who asked, so I feel kind of bad for asking about it, but isn’t there another way to fight the Noise? You know, without having to ask high school students? Something foreign? I mean, not everywhere has Symphogears, right?” Despite her worries, what Hibiki asked was perfectly reasonable.</p>
<p>“Officially, no.” Genjurro said, Ritsudo glancing up from checking his phone at that. “In Japan, Symphogears, much less the fact there are two types of them, are state-secrets of the highest classification.”</p>
<p>“Ehehee… when I’m out there fighting I may not be paying a whole lot of attention to that.” Hibiki said, Ritsudo looking away as he also recalled just how much damage his and Scordatura’s fight ended up doing, the repairs for that still underway as of the current moment in fact.</p>
<p>“Things like that are why controlling information is also part of the 2<sup>nd</sup> Divisions job.” Aoi said, as if she knew where Ritsudo’s thoughts had gone.</p>
<p>“But sometimes that means stepping on toes.” Sakura added, turning his chair around. “So now there’s a bunch of people in the government who don’t like us since they know we’re keeping secrets. And since we’re the Special Disaster Response Team, they call us the “Disaster Team.” It’s really all kinda unfair when you get down to it.”</p>
<p>“Even though the higher ups ordered us to keep it secret, things like this still happen. Heretical Technology itself may not be a secret, but the fact we have a use for it is.” Aoi said, Ritsudo and Hibiki humming, though the girl had about given up on understanding all the big words and flopped down again.</p>
<p>“They probably plan to use the Symphogears as a diplomatic tool.” Sakuya said. “I mean for one, the EU’s been falling apart slowly but surely ever since Britain left in 2020, and the region is now just a mess as a whole. Not that the more independent nations who broke off earlier aren’t doing well for themselves.”</p>
<p>“And America has had it’s fair share of problems in recent years too. Ever since their government nearly split in the 2030s, the country’s been undergoing a lot of reform. Not to mention China’s revolution around the same time effecting the wider world. They’d probably take any chance to get back on top they could.” Aoi was at least quick to pull things back to the main topic when she saw Hibiki staring ahead with steam coming out of her ears. “Symphogears are based on technology and theory that’s totally different from anything else that currently exists. No other nation than Japan can replicate them, so everyone wants them more.”</p>
<p>“All I’m managing to gather from this is that it’s really complicated.” Hibiki muttered, though Ritsudo looked more pensive.</p>
<p>“I get it.” Ritsudo said, Hibiki sitting up with a surprised gasp. “The basic idea is our Symphogears need to be kept secret, and potentially used as bargaining tools, because they’ll give Japan a leg up in the currently somewhat unstable political climate. The UN doesn’t nearly have as much power as it used to decades ago, and with all the reforms and changes in the other far bigger powers, something like that is a perfect trump card… it’d also be why the American government or some other group would want to get their hands on something like the Durandal, since if they could find a way to activate it, they’d get the same card in their hands.”</p>
<p>“Correct.” Genjurro said. “The Symphogears, in the terms of a weapon alone, surpass anything that isn’t classified as a weapon of mass destruction. And even then, a system like it is infinitely easier to control and make use of. A single Symphogear has the power to lay waste to an army of ordinary soldiers, thus why the secrecy of them, and their use only to exterminate threats such as the Noise, is so important.”</p>
<p>“Uhhh… I can’t keep up with this at all.” Hibiki then sat up again as she gave a hum. “By the way, where’s Ryouko-san?”</p>
<p>“She’s in Nakata right now.” Genjurro said, Hibiki tilting her head at the mention of such a place, Ritsudo also giving a questioning look. “The higher-ups in the government called her there. She has a responsibility to them to explain the security for our base and our defense systems. It can’t be helped.”</p>
<p>“Everything’s complicated isn’t it?” Hibiki tilted her head, and Ritsudo leaned forward a bit.</p>
<p>“I don’t think it can be helped. Blame all the people who want to pass responsibility onto others for stuff like that.” Ritsudo’s cynical command got Hibiki to look at him, though Genjurro nodded.</p>
<p>“That’s correct, shameful as it is. But in that respect, Defense Minister Hiroki is… actually.” Genjurro checked his watch, a questioning look coming to him. “Ryouko-kun is running late. She should’ve been back a little while ago.”</p>
<p>“Maybe she decided to take the long way here.” Ritsudo said. “It is a nice day after all.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>It was later in the day. Evening had come and a caravan of vehicles was passing through the quiet roads of an under construction urban area that had long since been left alone for the time being. A rather choice place for a group from the government transporting the defense minister and a case of top secret information with them.</p>
<p>“One phone call, and we have to cancel the whole thing. They’re an unruly bunch.” Hiroki, the defense minister in question, let out an amused chuckle as he glanced out to the in progress city beyond, while his assistant, holding the sealed metal case that was so important they needed a security detail with them on top of normal defensive measures, gave a sigh.</p>
<p>“Even if they’re a special organization dating back to the days of the Imperial Army, don’t you think we give them too much leeway?”</p>
<p>“Perhaps. But, they’re our only option for dealing with these special disasters, our trump card if you will. As such it’s my job to give them as much leeway as they need to carry out those actions.”</p>
<p>“Of course. “Disaster Team” is a good name for them.”</p>
<p>The cars then passed through a tunnel, and ran headlong into an unpleasant surprise. A truck burst out from the side and blocked the exit. The front car’s drivers slammed the brakes, but were too short to prevent themselves from crashing, the second and third vehicles following suit in short order, leaving them all stuck in the tunnel as the back of the truck that had stopped them burst open.</p>
<p>A small group of armed men jumped from the vehicle as the defense officers got out. But, the handguns of the officers gave them little help against the rifles of the attacking men, each one being swiftly shot down as they were offered no defense against their attackers. The spray of bullets had even hit Hiroki’s aid, a stray shot having gotten him clean in the head, splattering parts of the interior with blood, and leaving the case stained too.</p>
<p>“Crap!” Hiroki unbuckled and went for the case, but, one of the men busted the window, the hot barrel of his gun pressing to Hiroki’s hand and causing him to flinch back.</p>
<p>“You must be Defense Minister Hiroki.” The man spoke English as he adjusted his gun up to the man.</p>
<p>“You’re all…”</p>
<p>But as Hiroki was realizing just what was going on, the sound of gunfire silenced him before anything else could be said.</p>
<p>And just outside of the tunnel, sitting atop construction equipment across the way, Scordatura observed the scene, tapping a finger on his spear as he did, giving a hum as he stood up, the small amount of wind causing a shift in his coat.</p>
<p>“And so, the wheel of fate begins to turn.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Wait… <em>what </em>just happened?!” Ritsudo and Hibiki stared slack jawed at the screen of images in front of them, that of various dead bodies with clear bullet holes and damages from the attack on Hiroki’s convoy. Kyomei looked at the images with a wide eyed look, a hand clenching up.</p>
<p>“The defense minister was murdered, as you can see.”  Genjuuro stated, Ritsudo letting out a long breath as he folded his arms, Hibiki glancing at him.</p>
<p>“Murdered? Well, either this is those guys we met before making a move or something else is going on. I’ve been a bit suspicious. I mean, downtime <em>is </em>nice but for as long as we did? Come on.” Ritsudo stated, Hibiki tilting her head.</p>
<p>“Suspicious? Why?” Hibiki asked. “You just said downtime is nice!”</p>
<p>“He does have a point though.” Kyomei added, Ritsudo nodding.</p>
<p>“But the problem is we had a whole month of more Noise attacks than we’d gotten in that much time than ever before, and <em>then </em>a girl with a complete Relic and her spear using pal show up, but then suddenly, when we’re one down, things just go quiet.” Ritsudo stated, Genjuuro humming himself, “It’s got me suspicious about things. There’s no way something isn’t going on behind the scenes.”</p>
<p>“Ritsu, that uh… hmm, that actually makes a lot of sense.” Hibiki hummed, putting a hand on her chin, a quizzical hum following suit from her. Kyomei gave a sigh of his own, finding an agreement on the idea of how odd things seemed.</p>
<p>“Hi everyone! I’m back!” Ryouko proclaimed her arrival at HQ, Genjurro, Hibiki, Ritsudo, and Kyomei all turning with some surprise as she strode in. The woman gave a laugh at their surprised looks. And in her hand as well, was a certain metallic case as well. “What, you were that lonely?”</p>
<p>“Now ain’t the time!” Ritsudo spouted.</p>
<p>“Defense Minister Hiroki has been murdered.” Genjurro said, the display on the wall’s monitor showing her the images of what remained of the attack on the minister, Ryouko gasping as she hurried over. “Several extremist groups have taken credit for the assassination, but we don’t have any further details. We’re investigating as best as we can, but…”</p>
<p>“No one could get ahold of you, so we were all worried!” Hibiki said, Ryouko giving a hum and then checking her communicator, giving a chuckle as she saw the messages on it.</p>
<p>“I guess it’s broken, because I didn’t hear a thing at all. Sorry about that.” Ryouko’s statement got the others to look relieved, and she also pocketed the communicator while setting the case down. “But thanks for worrying about me, Also, the classified documents I got from the government are safe and sound.”</p>
<p>Ryouko opened the case, within it in the padding a small container holding two data drives. Kyomei could have sworn though, that as Ryouko had set the case down, he’d seen a small dash of red on the bottom edge of the case.</p>
<p>“Succeeding in our mission is the best thing we can do for him.” Ryouko added, though, now Kyomei had a suspicious look on his face, a look Ritsudo caught the young man giving, which also set some doubts in his mind.</p>
<p><em>“First the Defense Minister is killed, and yet Ryouko still has the case with the files… I mean one could assume it happened after they handed the files off to her but… this timing is too off. Something about this doesn’t sit right with me.” </em>Kyomei folded his arms as he closed his eyes. It was times like this he was glad for having developed a sniper’s eye. He wouldn’t bring it up, not like he could confirm his suspicions. But he was going to keep an ear to the ground just to be careful.</p>
<hr/>
<p>With the data that Ryouko had brought with her, that had also meant the entirety of the 2<sup>nd</sup> Division had been gathered in a briefing room. As they all sat waiting, Genjurro and Ryouko too the front. Ryouko, a controller in hand, turned the screen on, displaying a visual of something much further down in the base: A sword suspended in a case, the weapon old and rusted, yet still bearing a glow around it’s form. The Durandal, the completed Relic they were holding for research purposes.</p>
<p>“From the fact the Noise have all been appearing around the general area of Lydian Music Academy’s High School, meaning of course, us, the Special Disaster Response Team’s 2<sup>nd</sup> Division, the government has concluded that their target must be this, Sacrist D, Durandal, which is kept here in the lowest level, the Abyss.”</p>
<p>“Durandal…” Hibiki murmured, the image of the sword changing to a much closer view, which showed how aside from the age and rust, barely even a chip was in the blade.</p>
<p>“The sword used by one of the Twelve Paladins of Charlemagne, Roland. Said to be totally unbreakable and containing holy artifacts within its hilt. For all intents, the thing is a Relic above all others.” Kyomei said, leaning forward in his seat.</p>
<p>“As with the Ame-no-Murakumo and the other two Imperial Regalia, Durandal is one of the few completely intact Relics in the world. Japan took control of it in exchange for aiding the remaining member nations of the EU by taking on some of their defaulted bonds after their economic collapse some years ago.”</p>
<p>“But where could we move it?” Sakuya inquired, “There’s no place safer than here!”</p>
<p>“I’m with Fujitaka-san. Why move the sword when it’s this far underground and completely secured? If anything moving it sounds like exactly what somebody who wants to get their hands on it would want.” Ritsudo added his own idea to the pool, <em>“Am I the only one suspicious about this plan in general?”</em></p>
<p><em>“So he’s suspicious too?” </em>Kyomei’s thoughts went unsaid, but he felt a bit better knowing he wasn’t alone in finding this turn of events odd.</p>
<p>“The special server room below Nagata is where we’ll be moving it to. The location is also known as the “Memory Ruins.” It’s about as secure as the Abyss, even if it’ll be a bit of a trip.” Genjuuro answered<em>, </em>though Ritsudo didn’t look the least bit convinced of the idea, “Either way, since we’re low on the totem pole, we don’t have a say in it.”</p>
<p>“Of course we don’t.” Ritsudo sighed, Ryouko then continuing.</p>
<p>“Durandal will be moved at 0500, tomorrow morning. The details are in this memory chip.” Ryouko then displayed the item in question. “Dismissed!”</p>
<hr/>
<p>With the briefing done, the three active Symphogear users were with Ryouko in the main command center as she got to work setting up the Durandal for transport, inputting various passwords and other commands as the automatic systems got to loading the sword into a new container.</p>
<p>“Is that the Abyss?” Hibiki had her eyes on the on-screen diagram of the entire base, Ryouko giving a chuckle.</p>
<p>“Three times the length of the Tokyo Sky Tower, 1,300 meters below ground.” Ryouko said, Ritsudo giving a hum.</p>
<p>“Pretty specific depth.” Ritsudo said, Kyomei nodding along to the comment.</p>
<p>“Alright then, you should all go rest up. I’d suggest the dorms here in HQ, though do head back up to get anything you may need for the night from your rooms at Lydian.” Ryouko said, “Your job starts tomorrow, so be well prepared!”</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Well, good thing <em>I </em>live alone… crashing here for the night ain’t gonna be too bad. Hate to lie to Wataru-san, but he’s not really the type to worry.” Ritsudo hummed as he walked through the hall with a bag of things over a shoulder. As he passed one of the seating areas, he spotted Hibiki, the girl sitting there with her legs to her chest. “Yo, Hibiki-san!”</p>
<p>“Hey.” Hibiki greeted, though in a rather glum tone that wasn’t quite like her.</p>
<p>“What’s up? You’ve got this look on that’s not usual for you.” Ritsudo said, sitting down and placing his bag on the floor, Hibiki sighing.</p>
<p>“It’s Miku. I’m sure she’s mad I didn’t tell her where I was going.” Hibiki answered, letting out a dejected breath again, “I can’t sleep like this.”</p>
<p>“Well, we are sworn to secrecy. As much as it may suck, we can’t drag our friends into this when they’re not involved.” Ritsudo stated, Hibiki nodding and picking up the newspaper on the table, immediately yelping as her face got red, shutting it and looking away, “What?”</p>
<p>“N-Nothing it’s just… something I think only guys would like.” Hibiki murmured, Ritsudo rolling his eyes and swiping the paper out of her hands and opening it himself, rolling his eyes again to see the issue was a picture of a gravure model.</p>
<p>“This? It’s just a gravure model pic, these are all over the place. Besides, I’ve got different tastes that aim… elsewhere. Not that I <em>dislike </em>that. What about <em>you, </em>if it embarrasses you that much?” Ritsudo stated, now casually reading through the other articles, Hibiki’s face going red again, though she didn’t give an answer to his inquiry, so Ritsudo just kept reading. He stopped at the back page, which had a picture of Tsubasa, “Kazanari Tsubasa, hospitalized for overwork. So <em>that’s </em>their cover up story.”</p>
<p>“Controlling information <em>is </em>one of my jobs.” Shinji then appeared as if from nowhere, Ritsudo yelping as he did so, the white-haired young man leaning on a hand, Hibiki looking a bit surprised as well.</p>
<p>“Geezus, we need to put a bell on you or something. You’re too quiet. Are you a ninja or something?” Ritsudo muttered, Shinji merely chuckling in response.</p>
<p>“Well, I’m here to say that Tsubasa-san is through the worst of it.” Shinji stated, Hibiki giving a relieved sigh while Ritsudo gave a subtle “phew” as his response. “But, she will need to stay in one of the 2<sup>nd</sup> Division’s medical facilities for a while. Her concert at the end of the month will be canceled though.”</p>
<p>“Of course “a while” will probably only be a few days. Tsubasa’s a Kazanari, and if the Commander is anything to say about them, they’re all tough as nails.” Kyomei strode up from the other direction, giving a wave to his juniors. “I was just seeing her to tell her about things. She’s doing fine, but don’t expect to see her fighting for a bit longer.”</p>
<p>“How will you fare if combat starts?” Shinji said, Kyomei giving a fist pump.</p>
<p>“I’ll be perfectly fine even on my own. Gandiva’s firepower is about being in the thick of the fight anyway. I may be a marksman but I’m no slouch in hand to hand either.” Kyomei replied, Shinji nodding with a pleased look.</p>
<p>“How did the talk with her about that even go hmm?” Ritsudo said, a smarmy look on his face, Kyomei looking to the side a bit.</p>
<p>“Well…”</p>
<hr/>
<p>“So that about sums up what’s happening tomorrow. Durandal is being moved, and the three of us are helping with the escort.”</p>
<p>Tsubasa hummed as Kyomei finished relaying the plan for the upcoming mission to her, the girl folding her arms while Kyomei looked to the window.</p>
<p>“Though I’m kind of debating going along.” And that statement made Tsubasa look at Kyomei with surprise. “I mean, Tachibana-san and Ritsudo-san should be more than enough, their training with the Commander has gone really well… and I don’t want to leave you alone when you’re hurt so-OW!”</p>
<p>“Don’t go thinking like that now. I’m injured but it doesn’t make me that much of an invalid. I just need a bit more time before I can rejoin you in battle.” Tsubasa pulled her arm back from having punched Kyomei’s shoulder, the boy sighing as he rubbed the spot she’d hit. “I’m really glad you’re concerned about me Kyomei, but a mission like that is a bit more important.”</p>
<p>“Yeah you’re right. I just can’t help it… but, between you and me too, I’m a bit suspicious about all of this.” Kyomei added, Tsubasa raising a brow. “The timing is just all… wrong, for some reason. First the Defense Minister is assassinated, and not even a day later we’re moving Durandal. Nakata may not be too far, but even then we’ll still be wide open. That Nehushtan girl and the masked Tuner are still out there, and who knows if they’ll come for it too.”</p>
<p>“As usual, your archer’s intuition is something else.” Tsubasa mused, Kyomei chuckling. “True, you can’t ever know how a battle will go. Just make sure you and our two juniors get back here in one piece. Since I can’t fight with you right now, you need to put in effort for the both of us.”</p>
<p>“Well talk about a demand.” Kyomei chuckled as Tsubasa gave a proud little huff. “Alright then, I’ll be sure to do that. But in exchange, when I get back you have to bear whatever comes from what I want to tell you. No matter how embarrassing it may get.”</p>
<p>“We do have plenty to talk about, that’s for sure.” Tsubasa then held out a pinky, Kyomei looking at her hand. “Promise me you’ll come back safely.”</p>
<p>“Yeah… promise.” Kyomei put his own pinky to Tsubasa’s, and they wrapped the two around each other and shook. “Hehe, just like when we were small.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>“That was about it.” Kyomei did leave out the part about his suspicions, but otherwise he’d given the account straight. What made him start blushing was Ritsudo’s knowing gaze and Hibiki’s awed expression, even letting out a little “daww!” as she fidgeted from how giddy she got.</p>
<p>“That’s so sweet!” Hibiki giggled, outright bouncing in her seat, Ritsudo only rolling his eyes, Shinji giving a chuckle of his own.</p>
<p>“It’s good to hear Tsubasa is doing well. And even seems something in her has changed a bit too… I think that’s good.” Shinji said, Kyomei nodding, having the same thought. “You too, Kyomei-san. You seem to be standing a bit taller now too.”</p>
<p>“Really?”</p>
<p>“You <em>have </em>been looking more sure of yourself since Kazanari-san woke up.” Ritsudo said, Kyomei gaining a blush again. “And I mean that in a good way. It’s like… well, actually I think it was further than that. It’s like you’ve finally steeled your own resolve about things too.”</p>
<p>“Well I’m not the only one, the same goes for you two.” Kyomei added, looking between his two younger Adaptors. “Tachibana-san deciding to fight in her own way, and you Ritsudo, not only unlocking the Murakumo’s real power, but also your change. Almost ironic it all started because of who we ran into.”</p>
<p>“That masked guy is kind of weird though.” Ritsudo said, leaning back a bit. “He seems… different for some reason. I got this weird impression when we were fighting he was trying to test me… but also that he wasn’t a bad person either. Something is definitely going on.”</p>
<p>“Well there are some people who communicate best through those kinds of actions. Koto-san was one of them.” Shinji noted, Kyomei nodding to that. “There’s also something I wanted to say, though I think the point’s been made: Whatever you do, lots of people are behind you, helping in all sorts of ways. So, I think you all can afford to relax a little.”</p>
<p>“Be sure to tell that to Tsubasa too.” Kyomei said, a smirk on his face.</p>
<p>“I’d sure like a good break after this. But, who knows, things may only ramp up from here.” Ritsudo said, a jingle from Murakumo making him nod. “Yeah yeah… I’ll just sleep on it for right now. Tomorrow’s going to be busy for sure. And I’m kind of suspicious about what could happen.”</p>
<p>“I admit, some of this is kinda suspicious, but, all we can do is the best job we can.” Kyomei added, Ritsudo and Hibiki nodding along, Hibiki then making a small fist pump.</p>
<p>“All right, I feel better now too! And then for now, let’s do the best we can to rest!” Hibiki declared, picking up her bag, Ritsudo letting out a small snicker of amusement as she then trotted off.</p>
<p>“Well, she can certainly get back in order pretty quick.” Ritsudo hummed, Kyomei looking him over with a keen eye, “What?”</p>
<p>“Nothing. I’m just… well, I guess as a senpai, I’m proud to see where you’ve gotten since we met.” Kyomei said, putting a hand out. “I know it can’t be easy, and that it’ll take a while before you’re really where you want to be but… like you said to me. I think you’re a good person, Ritsudo-san. Though it’s not like you need to prove that to me.”</p>
<p>“Well, I’ve got a long way to go, that’s without a doubt. But… thanks.” Ritsudo took Kyomei’s hand and gave a firm shake to his senior. “I’m no Kazanari-san, but I hope that tomorrow my blade’ll be good enough as your frontliner.”</p>
<p>“Well I do need to make sure my juniors are safe. I promised Tsubasa we’d make it back in one piece after all. I’ve got your back.”</p>
<p>“Then let’s get out there and kick some tail.” Ritsudo said, a cheery smirk on his face as he and Kyomei bumped their fists together.</p>
<p>There may have been an ominous feeling about what was coming for them next, but, the least they could do was face that with a confident gaze and a fire in their eyes. Blades that faced the dark and cut through it with their light, that’s surely what they were.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Shadows Cast Under Light</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The set up for the operation, which as planned was beginning at the crack of dawn: Four black cars and one smaller, more discreet white vehicle. The four black cars were manned by the typical men in black, Ryouko and Hibiki planned to take the white car and watch Durandal themselves, figuring that keeping it close to one of the Symphogears would be best. While elsewhere, Ritsudo and Kyomei would be riding in the chopper with Genjuuro, keeping a wider watch of the situation and ready to drop in if the situation got too hectic.</p><p>“We’ve set checkpoints under the pretense of looking for the defense minister’s assassins.” Genjuuro finished off the reading, everyone lined up before him and Ryouko, “We’re heading straight for the Memory Ruins!”</p><p>“I call it “Plan: Keep the Road to Yourself”!” Ryouko added, the groups then splitting off.</p><p>For the first few hours leading into the middle of the day, things were completely silent along the empty highway except for the buzz of the chopper’s rotors in the air well above the cars. Kyomei occasionally peered out to look at the cars below with Genjuuro, the convoy currently nearing the city. Things had gone smoothly, but they weren’t about to let themselves get cocky and not expect something to come for them. If the theory held true, then somebody was likely expecting them at some point.</p><p>And true enough, what they were expecting came to pass. The three in the chopper gasped when a portion of the highway cracked and gave out, one of the black cars going over and slamming into the wall of the gap, dropping into the water like a brick. Of course it would be the bridge were an attack started, a place far more suited for a surprise attack out of the blue.</p><p>“What the hell?!” Ritsudo yelped, Kyomei wide eyed, Genjuuro getting on the comm line.</p><p>“We’re under attack! We don’t have any visual, but it has to be the Noise!” Genjuuro snapped, Kyomei and Ritsudo looking at each other, that glance confirming for both that they were thinking the exact same thing, the two yelping when the next car to go got launched up from a sewer plate, “The sewers, the Noise are attacking from the sewers!”</p><p>“Well ain’t <em>that </em>awfully coordinated for a bunch of dumb Noise?” Ritsudo quipped.</p><p>“Which means they’re being controlled! It has to be those two we fought before!” Kyomei said, Ritsudo nodding. The two raised their arms as the next car went up, “That’s not good…”</p><p>“You said it.” Ritsudo muttered.</p><p><em>“Genjuuro-kun, aren’t things getting a little bad?” </em>Ryouko’s voice came over from the radio, Ritsudo and Kyomei tuning in, <em>“If there’s an explosion at the factory up ahead, Durandal will…”</em></p><p>“I know!” Genjuuro replied, Ritsudo and Kyomei moving to the other side of the chopper to look over the nearby factory. “The reason that the Noise are only attacking our cars, is to avoid damaging Durandal! If they’re after Durandal, out best move is to go somewhere dangerous, and limit their options!”</p><p>“The question is if our enemies really care that much about collateral.” Kyomei said.</p><p><em>“What are the odds?” </em>Ryouko said.</p><p>“I’m making this up as I go along! I have no idea!” Genjurro said, Ritsudo and Kyomei looking back at the man with stilted looks.</p><p>“You’re the salt of the earth, sir.” Ritsudo said, Kyomei putting a hand to his face.</p><p>“But, sometimes you have to adapt!” Kyomei said, going from facepalming to pulling his pendant out. “Commander, we’ll drop as soon as we’re over the factory!”</p><p>“As soon as you do, deploy your Symphogears and engage as you meet up with Ryouko-kun and Hibiki-kun. Don’t let anything stand in your way!” Genjurro ordered, the boys nodding as they went to the open doors.</p><p>“Ready, Ritsudo-san?” Kyomei said, Ritsudo chuckling as he readied Murakumo.</p><p>“Whenever you are!”</p><p>“Then let’s go!”</p><p>With a tap of their hands, as Noise began to swarm onto the sections of the factory below, both of them jumped. And as they fell, even amid the swirling air, the calls they sang reverberated around them.</p><p>
  <em>“Scindia Ame-no-Murakumo tron.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Fugite Verum Gandiva Tron.”</em>
</p><p>As they descended, Kyomei attacked immediately, drawing his hand crossbows and raining bolts down on the Noise below as they closed in on Ryouko and Hibiki’s flipped card. Ritsudo got down faster with a burst of air following him, lashing at the Noise coming too close with a trail of water from his blade extending the range immensely.</p><p>“Thanks, Ritsu!” Hibiki nodded to the boy as she pulled the cased Durandal out of the car, grumbling as she did. “Ryouko-san this is heavy!”</p><p>“Then let’s leave it and run!” Ryouko joked, Ritsudo shooting an unamused glare her way.</p><p>“Not the time to be joking around!” Ritsudo snapped, smirking as he looked up and found <em>exactly </em>who he’d been expecting too: Chris and Scordatura, the two looking down at the others from a higher point, clearly ready for a fight. “You two go! Kyomei and I will hold off the Noise and follow!”</p><p>“And we can hold off the Nehushtan girl and the Araedhbar user!” Kyomei stated, skidding back and firing his bows off into the Noise. “Mind if I take the lead?”</p><p>“Go right ahead!” Ritsudo replied, giving a flick of his wrist to shift his grip, causing a panel on the guard to open, revealing an arranged set of small gems of different colors, the yellow one glowing as the white blade began humming with electricity.</p><p>
  <em>~Where does all the food sustaining us come from? We belong out on the streets begging for our lives. Even the dazzling sun that greeted us when we woke up will be lost again in the dark of the night. What on earth is this that God has given all of us? Venture forth, find the truth that we seek – start out!~</em>
</p><p>Scordatura leapt down as the Noise attacked in earnest, the swam managing to separate the boys from Ryouko and Hibiki as the car exploded. And once that was confirmed, Scordatura came down on the two with his spear lashing flames from all around it that struck at the two.</p><p>Ritsudo dashed right through, his electrified sword slamming right into the shaft of the spear as Scordatura quickly adjusted to block. Kyomei struck with the opening that was seemingly made. As the arrows flew at him, Scordatura threw his free hand up, swatting them aside before gripping his spear and whipping it aside to knock Ritsudo back.</p><p>“Ame-no-Murakumo and Gandiva… heh, this matchup is a fun one, even if neither of your have partners to Synchronize with at the moment! Either way… allow me to test that resolve yet again!”</p><p>“Here it comes!”</p><p>Ritsudo spoke as Scordatura spun the spear around, it’s shell casting away telling of what he was doing. The burning weapon was loosed to act on it’s own, splitting through the air and aiming for both of the Tuners, Ritsudo deflecting it with a quick parry. Kyomei rolled under the thing, and his eyes went wide as after sailing past a short way, it immediately stopped and reared back around. Luckily though, Kyomei had a defensive tool in the form of his shoulder cape, the item immediately stiffening as the spear crashed into it, sparks flying as it scraped off and then went flying back to its wielder, leaving a dark scorch on the cape as it went back to normal.</p><p>
  <em>~There’s a miracle that has been stolen from these hands of mine. We’re so close to finding out what is the secret to a brand new destiny! And these tears that are falling down from your eyes, one day they will become the source of your pride!~</em>
</p><p>As Kyomei switched back to his crossbows and started peppering the area with bolts, Scordatura blocked with a spin of his spear. The masked man dodged as Ritsudo struck at him, then blocking the sword with his free hand’s gauntlet, a segment of it opening and locking the blade into place, though Ritsudo didn’t falter as he kept his grip tight.</p><p>“The sword glows brightly now. But then tell me, Kenzaki Ritsudo, what drives you now hmm?!”</p><p>“What, you forget already?!” Ritsudo showed a smirk as he pulled his blade free and struck again, streaks of lightning following the blade likes claws as the blow landed clean on Scordatura’s side, a crack of sound going through the air as his foe was knocked back. “I said I want to be a hero! I’m not going to let any more people die needlessly in this world!”</p><p>“Admirable but naïve!” Scordatura struck back after splitting his spear into two, getting into another weapon lock with Ritsudo. “No matter how powerful you may become, it’s impossible to save everybody!”</p><p>“You think I don’t know that?! My life has been defined by death!” Ritsudo countered, kicking Scordatura away. “I’ve lost enough people to know that much. We can’t escape death no matter how hard we try. But if I have the power to save people from dying against their own terms, to create a better world without things like the Noise or pointless wars, then I’ll use it to do what I think is right!”</p><p>“Heh, well said!”</p><p>As the fight between the Tuners continued, more Noise summoned by Chris turned their attention to the fleeing Hibiki and Ryouko. Some blasted past the car, causing the vehicle to explode. Hibiki went flying from the shockwave, and the case in her arms clattered to the ground.</p><p>With a small sigh, Ryouko stopped and turned, lifting her hand. And from it, as more Noise lunged, a purple barrier of hexagonal light formed in front of her and Hibiki. The impacts blew the air around the woman all over, causing her hair to come loose and fall down, and her glasses flying. Hibiki almost swore it was like just that slight shift nearly made Ryouko look like an entirely different person for a second… like a flash of blonde hair and tanned skin showed for just a moment.</p><p>“Ryouko-san?”</p><p>“It can’t be helped. You’ll do whatever you want how you want to, right?” Ryouko looked to Hibiki, the girl giving a nod as she stood up.</p><p>“I’m going to sing!” Hibiki took in a breath and put a hand near her chest, a gleam in the shape of a forte shining just there.</p><p>
  <em>“Balwisyall nescell Gungnir Tron.”</em>
</p><p>Unlike when she’d be in a clumsy stance before, now when Hibiki readied herself, her footing was far steadier and her form better. The days of training with Genjurro weren’t going to be wasted. Because simply put, if she couldn’t form an Armed Gear like the others, then she’d use her whole body as a weapon in place of one.</p><p>
  <em>~Straight ahead... I can't look at you. I stuffed that smile of mine that's like an excuse. "One step, one step at a time, just a little more..." Ah, I convey this brave song to the tomorrow I believe in.~</em>
</p><p>Dodging the first wave, Hibiki stumbled as the heel of her boots hit a pipe, giving a hiss. The things were only in the way, so there was one option: Smash them off. With two quick moves, the heels on Hibiki’s feet were smashed off, leaving her free to take a flatter stance. Her eyes darted around as the Noise drew in closer, and when on lunged, Hibiki threw an arm forward quickly, her fist smashing into the Noise, the force of the blow smashing through the creature’s body before it burst away into ash.</p><p>
  <em>~I'm sure, I'm sure it will come true. There's no such thing as improbable. This huge feeling of fearing fighting... Now, blast it away with this energy! 100 percent full throttle! Let's exchange our ideas on the dream we hold tightly because we don't have time for dripping tears. I have something in me that I have to protect. Yes, burn up! Flare of sparkling life.~</em>
</p><p>And the rest followed suit. Clearly practiced punches and kicks, minimalist dodges and quick reactions. Hibiki was blowing through the Noise far easier now than in any of her earlier fights, her moves coming from all kinds of styles she’d seen in all those movies Genjurro had made her watch.</p><p>“Damn.” Ritsudo let out an impressed whistle as he observed, stepping back and parrying when Scordatura stabbed at him. A heavy arrow falling between them made both jumped back, and Kyomei leapt between both with his main bow draw, glancing back at Ritsudo.</p><p>“Ritsudo-san, go help Tachibana-san with the Noise so we can keep Durandal. I’ll keep him here.”</p><p>“… got it.” Ritsudo took a moment to respond, seeing that the look in Kyomei’s eyes said enough. He leapt off with wind starting to fly from his blade, and Kyomei turned back to Scordatura as his fingers hovered over the bowstring of his weapon.</p><p>“I doubt you sent him off because you think you can actually defeat me on your own.” Scordatura spun his spear into a casual hold, Kyomei still not lowering his guard. “Tell me, Aikawa Kyomei, what is it you want to know hmm? Your eyes tell me that much.”</p><p>“Saves me the trouble. Then I’ll be direct: Are you or are you not Hidaka Kotone beneath that mask?”</p><p>“Ohh? And what brings that about?”</p><p>“The way you move in a fight, how you maneuver that spear… hell even just how strong you are. I know all of that. You fight in the exact same way he does… and every time you’re near, Ruyi Jingu Bang chimes. Like it <em>knows </em>it’s user is close.” Kyomei then lowered the bow, grabbing it with both hands and splitting it in two, grasping the ends as daggers in reverse hold as they straightened out. “Or, is it something else?”</p><p>“That is a rather complex question.” Scordatura said, raising his spear back up. “If you want confirmation that he is alive, then I can indeed tell you that he is. The Compliant Staff is correct in it’s resonance… but as for whether your friend is truly here right now, that would be a no.”</p><p>“That doesn’t answer my question!”</p><p>“You’ll have that answer soon enough… but for now, no… I am only Scordatura. Until that boy’s heart heals, it will be some time before the staff can be reclaimed.”</p><p>“Tch… if you’re gonna be obtuse about it. I guess the fight is still on.”</p><p>Red lightning sparked around Kyomei’s daggers as he rushed forward, the clash between him and Scordatura back on as their weapons collided in swathes of red and orange.</p><p>Whereas with Hibiki and Ritsudo, they were easily thinning out the Noise swarm with few issues, ash piling up with each one they took down. And above, as the two fought in easy synch with each other’s movements, Chris looked at them with an annoyed expression.</p><p>“You’re telling me those two can fight now?!” With a growl, Chris lashed one of her chain whips and sent it flying, aiming for Hibiki, but with a quick dash across the way, Ritsudo’s blade crashed into it, sending the whip to the side. “How did he see that?!”</p><p>“Are you just gonna stand up there looking down on us all day, or you actually going to fight us like your friend huh?” Ritsudo said, aiming his sword at Chris.</p><p>“Tch. Fine, if you want to fight so badly, I will!”</p><p>Chris lashed out the whip again, Ritsudo catching it on his blade, the item wrapping around and locking in. Chris smirked as she went to pull, but she was stopped dead by Hibiki grabbing the chain and then ramming her feet into the ground, Ritsudo pulling his sword loose. With a yell, Hibiki pulled hard on the chain, Chris yelping as she was yanked into the air.</p><p>Ritsudo jumped with a trail of fire following him, ascending to Chris’s height as she was still carried up. When he slashed, Chris used her other chain to counter it, but as the weapons collided, Hibiki pulled the chain she did have and pulled Chris right to the ground. Ritsudo followed up by gathering the flames around his blade and letting them loose, Chris countering by lobbing an energy ball at it, the two attacks impacting and exploding in midair, the shockwave sending both in opposite directions.</p><p>“Ritsu!” Hibiki reacted quickly and caught Ritsudo as he came sailing down, the boy nodding as he got back upright, both countering when Chris lashed at them with both chains at the same time.</p><p>“Amazing. Even without Synchronization they’re fighting completely in synch with one another.” Ryouko had a wide, awed look on as she watched the melee continue. Hibiki’s lack of mastery over her Symphogear was balanced by her new skills, while Ritsudo had begun fostering skill to match the power of his Relic, meaning both were showing to be more than a match for Chris’s Nehushtan Armor.</p><p>And then the case for Durandal began beeping, Ryouko looking to it with a gasp. The case opened and let out a hiss, steam pouring from it.</p><p>“This signal… no way, their Aufwachen Waves!”</p><p>Scordatura and Kyomei’s duel came to a stop as the spearman halted, Kyomei raising a brow from sighting his bow as the masked man turned.</p><p>“Durandal, it’s awakening.” Scordatura said, Kyomei looking to the other three fighters with a gasp.</p><p>Chris was able to break Ritsudo away from her, and have a solid kick to Hibiki that sent her smashing to the ground. And as the dust kicked up, a piercing noise hit the air. Durandal’s case burst wide open, the sword flying into the air and spinning to a halt in place, a ringing noise beginning to fill the space around them. Ritsudo flinched and put a hand to his head, looking at Murakumo as it too rang in his grip.</p><p>“It really is… Durandal is activating in response to their Aufwachen Waves.” Ryouko’s eyes went wide as Durandal began to glow brighter by the second.</p><p>Scordatura watched and gave a breath that said, surprisingly, uneasiness, which caught Kyomei by surprise as he noticed it. Chris however, saw the weapon and smirked.</p><p>“So this is Durandal.” Chris chuckled and leapt, reaching out to the blade… only to get stalled when Hibiki jumped and shoulder rammed her out of the way.</p><p>“You can’t have it!” Hibiki screamed as she reached out herself, grabbing onto Durandal as Chris went flying to the ground. But when she did, a loud keen pulsed through the air, a following hum of power beginning to sound. Hibiki landed on the ground with Durandal in her grasp, the blade’s aura growing larger, but something was off. She was shuddering as she held it, her teeth grating as red lights flared in her eyes.</p><p><em>“Do something! Get that damn thing out of her hands before it goes wild!” </em>Murakumo yelling in his mind snapped Ritsudo out of his shock.</p><p>As Ritsudo began to move, a pillar of light bursting up into the air made him stop dead, like a weight had suddenly forced him to stop, Murakumo letting out a growl. Hibiki now stood with that same half dark shroud over her, her eyes glowing red, all too akin to that time Ritsudo went berserk. And in her hands, Durandal changed. All the rust and age vanished as the blade extended to a complete state and the guard changed too, the sword becoming a shining gold colored accented by glowing blue lines running along its various parts.</p><p>“What did she do?” Chris gasped, and for some reason looking at Ryouko. When she saw the woman’s ecstatic face, the girl let out a growl and pulled out the Staff of Solomon. “Don’t show off your power!”</p><p>“The hell do you think you’re doing?!” Ritsudo shouted as Chris summoned Noise behind Hibiki, but that feeling of being locked in place remained, and he let out a growl as he forced himself to stop moving. “Like hell I’m letting things go this way!”</p><p>“It’s activated. You all may want to get out of the way! Or better yet, if you don’t want this area to go up in flames, stop her!” Scordatura shouted above the roaring as Hibiki began to turn, the girl starting to bring the sword down.</p><p>“Get out of the way!” Ritsudo reacted quickly, dicing to the side and tackling Chris out of the way of the descending beam of light, the armored girl letting out a yell.</p><p>“The hell do you think you’re doing?! I’m your enemy dammit!” Chris shouted.</p><p>“Don’t care! I’m not going to let someone be in a situation where they could die in front of me! Besides, nobody deserves to die fighting! Your life should be on your own terms, and that includes how it ends!” Ritsudo snapped, Chris flinching before leaping off. Ritsudo clicked his tongue then turned, flinching as the blade of light came closer down. Then his eyes went wide. “Shit! It’s gonna hit the main tower!”</p><p>“Tachibana stop!” Kyomei shouted as he started to move… and then a golden gleam showed from one of the armor panels at his waist.</p><p>The armor opened up, something flying from it and through the air as a bolt of light. Whatever it was collided with the falling blade of light, stopping it dead. For a few seconds the two lights stayed put, and Ryouko’s eyes went wider as her expression showed shock as well. Then an explosion blasted through the air.</p><p>From the bottom of the blast, Ryouko had that same purple barrier up again. She was looking down at an unconscious Hibiki, the Durandal still in her grasp… and an all too pleasant smile on her face as she looked at the blade.</p><p>Scordatura lingered for a moment amid the rubble that was left, turning to gaze at something as it crashed into the ground. A staff, two meters in length and ebony black with styled white cravings across its length, the exposed end not buried in the ground topped by a golden cap with decorative engravings.</p><p>“So, a bit of your will responded to the Gungnir’s resonance. Seems you’re making progress, Hidaka Kotone. I hope you’re prepared when the time comes.”</p><p>With a twirl of his spear and a burst of flames, Scordatura vanished from sight. Kyomei just stared as he looked at the staff with wide eyes, Ritsudo following his eyes to it, looking at Murakumo as it hummed a bit.</p><p>“Ruyi Jingu Bang…” Kyomei murmured, Ritsudo’s eyes going wide. “Koto.”</p><hr/><p>A short while later, rescue personnel had arrived to start clearing out the damages left behind by the battle. Ritsudo and Kyomei were seated on some of it, and Kyomei was still staring at the Ruyji Jingu Bang, still propped up into the ground where it had fallen. The thing’s sudden action had prevented more severe damages to the factory area, but as for why it did it, that was leaving Kyomei totally stumped.</p><p>“Maybe it had something to do with the Gungnir?” Kyomei tented his hands as he shut his eyes, giving a groan as he leaned his head down.</p><p>“What… what was that power?” Hibiki, still with her eyes closed, finally roused back awake, slowly opening her eyes. “I just remember things suddenly getting dark, and then a rush… did I really do that? My body moved all on it’s own…”</p><p>Hibiki’s eyes then shot open completely, the girl shooting upright, not noticing that she was still gripping Durandal. She spotted Ryouko standing before her pinning her hair back up, and Ritsudo was quick to run over,</p><p>“Hibiki-san! You alright?” Ritsudo knelt down, Hibiki nodding as he helped her up.</p><p>“Y-yeah, I’m fine.”</p><p>“And <em>that </em>was Durandal.” Ryouko said, Hibiki and Ritsudo looking to her. “Like Ame-no-Murakumo, a complete Relic, awakened by your songs.”</p><p>“We awakened it?” Hibiki murmured, looking down to the golden sword. Ritsudo clenching his hand over Murakumo’s pendant as it hummed again, like the will of the Relic was agitated just being around Durandal.</p><p>“Well, it was probably moreso you, Hibiki-chan. It seems Murakumo didn’t react well to Durandal.” Ryouko said, and Ritsudo couldn’t help but catch she seemed a bit <em>pleased </em>with that for some reason.</p><p>“But Murakumo doesn’t come close to behaving like that.” Ritsudo muttered.</p><p>“U-Uhm, I… Ryouko-san, what about your…” Hibiki stammered out, Ryouko giving a casual gesture as she placed her glasses back on, giving Hibiki a pat on the shoulder.</p><p>“Does it matter? We all survived didn’t we?” The woman said, though to the confusion of the teenagers, she looked suddenly unsettled, the two glancing over to see she was looking over at Kyomei and Ruyi Jingu Bang. Kyomei was in the process of trying to unwedge the staff, and Ryouko just turned and walked off as her communicator rang.</p><p>“That was odd.” Ritsudo said, Hibiki nodding and looking back at Ryouko.</p><p>“Come on… just move! Why is this thing so heavy?!” Kyomei grumbled as he kept pushing at the staff, then yelling when it suddenly gave way. As he stumbled and almost fell, he looked back as he heard clattering, the staff having returned to it’s pendant form. As he picked it up, Kyomei thought about what Scordatura had said, gripping the pendant tightly. “Koto, just how close are you, if that’s the case?”</p><p>
  <em>“Closer than you think.” </em>
</p><p>“Huh?!” Hearing the familiar voice of his senior made Kyomei flinch, looking around desperately for a source of the noise… only to realize it had been in his head. Ruyi Jingu Bang was humming in his hand, yet Kyomei had no idea just what that actually meant at the moment.</p><hr/><p>And elsewhere, where others couldn’t reach by any normal means, Koto gave a chuckle. He opened his eyes back to the scenery of an overlook viewing the expanse of the city. He leaned on a hand as he snickered, then glanced over when he heard a shifting in the air.</p><p>“So, mind telling me what that stunt back there was about?” The voice that spoke was amused, Koto looking forward and chuckling again.</p><p>“It was nothing of my own doing really. My partner just got excited is all. He likes to act on his own if I let him. Though my partner isn’t as unruly as that wild dog you have with you.”</p><p>“Araedhbar is more obedient than you may think. It’s simply that it is destined for another. I’m just borrowing it’s strength for the time being, as it was convenient.”</p><p>“Whatever you say I guess.” Koto leaned back on the rail. “Heh… guess I’m starting to get impatient now.”</p><p>“So her presence is helping I see. Well, considering the Durandal has awakened now, I doubt it’ll be much longer. Once Kadingir rises and I put an end to this cycle she and I are in, my work will be done. Simply put, I want to know if you’ll be prepared when that happens.”</p><p>“Most likely. Nice to know you care.”</p><p>“Hmph. You are my descendant. Why wouldn’t I?” As the figure vanished, a few more words came from him as well. “The future should be left to those of the present after all. I’m a ghost from the past… I have no place in deciding the future.”</p><p>“Heh, how wise of you.” Koto chuckled as he looked ahead, a drift of orange feathers in front of him making him chuckle. “Well you’ve found quite the way to say hello now haven’t you, Kanade?”</p><p>“Well I think it’s kind of fun.” Kanade chuckled as she stepped off of the railing, stretching her arms. “So, how do you think the two of them are doing eh?”</p><p>“To me it looks like our adorable juniors are doing just fine.” Koto said, Kanade stepping next to him, wrapping a hand to his. “My question is how you feel about it.”</p><p>“I just wanna see Tsubasa and Kyomei happy. But I’m here for reasons of my own.” Kanade then gave a playful laugh, grabbing Koto and prompting him to snicker. “But what am I gonna do when you go back ehh? I’ll get bored just watching with nobody to talk to.”</p><p>“You two are insufferable.” And then a voice like Koto’s caught their attention, the two looking back to see a glowing golden money sitting elsewhere on the rail, hanging off it by it’s tail. “It gets old after a bit y’know?”</p><p>“Oi, ape, I thought you went back to the staff to keep your eye on Kyomei.” Koto said, the spirit money waving a hand. “Go back.”</p><p>“Alright alright! Just saying hello yeesh. You tell me to go help and when I drop in you boot me out ehh? Same as always, partner.” With a cheeping laugh, the monkey vanished, Koto clicking his tongue as he leaned on his free hand.</p><p>“Ahaha! And weren’t you just praising him earlier?”</p><p>“Eh it’s like an annoying brother.”</p><p>“Haha, makes sense.” Kanade then looked out over the city, Koto staring at her as the wind blew past. “When you do head back, make sure you keep smiling, alright Koto?”</p><p>“Yeah. Though, I doubt it’ll be lonely.” Koto said, ruffling Kanade’s hair. “Cause you’ve got the three of us who won’t forget a single thing.”</p><p>“Of course. Thank you, Koto.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So this is kind of a post-up from another site where I mainly write. But I'm hoping to expand out a bit, and hey, see where an idea like this that I've been working on for a while now is received somewhere else. Some early things may seem... shaky I admit but I hope this is taken well. Thanks for reading and see you in the next chapter!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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